THE   STORY 


..    iHlRTlETH 
ANNIVERSARY 


NORCROSS 


BX  9211  .P472  N67  1899 
Norcross,  George,  1838-1915 
The  story  of  a  thirtieth 
anniversary 


^:r7^s^/^-^;j^ 


:S^  OF  PRIivTif^ 


THE  STORY 


OF 


A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 


HEV.  GEORGE  NORCUOSS,  D.  D, 


IN    THK 


SECOND  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH, 

CARLISLE,   PA. 


Published  by  the  Board  of  Trustees. 


CARLISLE,  PA.: 

Heuald  Steam  Print, 
1899. 


"  But  in  his  duty  prompt  at  every  call, 
He  watch'd  and  wept,  he  pray'd  and  felt,  for  all ; 
And,  as  a  bird  each  fond  endearment  tries 
To  tempt  its  new-fledg'd  offspring  to  the  skies, 
He  tried  each  art,  reprov'd  each  dull  delay, 
AUur'd  to  brighter  worlds,  and  led  the  way." 

—  Goldsmith. 


PREFACE. 

A  record  like  the  following  needs  no  apology  and 
I  tut  little  explanation.  It  was  quite  in  the  historic 
spirit  that  this  ovation  was  tendered  and  accepted. 
The  pastorate  whicih  is  here  honored  has  one  feature 
that  is  unique:  it  is  the  only  pastorate  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Carlisle  that  has 
reached  the  tigure  of  thirty  years. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Trustees,  Second 
Presbyterian  Church,  Carlisle,  Pa.,  November  14, 
1898,  it  was  noted  that  "  our  beloved  pastor.  Rev. 
Dr.  Norcross  is  about  completing  thirty  years  of 
service  in  this  Church,"  and  it  was  declared  "  fitting 
that  this  event  should  be  observed  and  celebrated 
by  the  congregation."  A  committee  was  then  ap- 
pointed to  secure  "  the  proper  and  suitable  obser- 
vance of  said  anniversary. 

To  carry  out  the  considerate  purpose  of  the  Board, 
the  co-operation  of  the  Session  and  all  "  the  different 


4  PREFACE. 

societies  of  the  Church  "  was  sought  and  ohtained. 
The  following  pages  will  remain  the  permanent 
memorial  of  these  historical  services,  and  they  are 
now  given  to  the  public  at  the  unanimous  request  of 
the  Board  adopted  January  23,  1899.  At  the  same 
meeting  "  A.  G.  Miller  and  D.  M.  Graham  were 
appointed  a  committee  to  act  in  connection  with  Dr. 
Norcross  in  editing  the  book." 

To  carry  out  the  purpose  of  the  congregation  a 
circular  letter  of  invitation  and  a  programme  of 
exercises  were  prepared,  copies  of  which  may  be 
found  on  the  following  pages. 

Carlise,  Pa.,  March  8,  1899. 


rilUECH  OFFICERS.  5 

The  Secoud  Presbyterian  Church, 

Carisle,  Pa. 
Rev.  George  Norcross,  D.  D.  Pastor. 


ELDERS. 

Joseph  A.  Stuart,  Andrew  Blair, 

John  A.  Means,  John  C.  Eckels, 

George  McMillen,  Wm.  B.  Beitzel. 

DEACONS. 

^\'ln.  Scott  Coyle,  Dalbert  W.  Houston. 

BOARD    OF    TRUSTEES. 

Duncan  M.  Graham,  Esq.,  President. 

Robert  C.  Lamberton,  Secretary. 
Walter  Stuart,  T.  J.  Parmley, 

W.  Scott  Coyle,  Geo.  M.  Bosler, 

W.  Chalmers  Stuart,  A.  F.  Bedford, 

Dr.  Thomas  Stewart,  Robert  B.  Weaver, 

James  R.  Means,  Wm.  Graham, 

A.  G.  Miller,  Esq.,  E.  J.  Gardner, 

W.  Duncan  Green. 


6  .  GENERAL   INVITATION. 

You  are  cordially  invited  to  attend  the 

ANNIVERSARY   SERVICES     ' 

to  be  observed 
in  connection  with  the  celebration  of 

THE  THIRTY  YEARS'    PASTORATE 

of  the 

Rev.  GEORaE  Norcross,  D.  D., 

in  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church, 

Carlisle,  Pennsylvania. 

These  services  will  be  held  on  Sabbath, 

New  Year's  Day, 

and  on  Monday,  January  2,  1899. 

Signed  on  behalf  of  the  Congregation, 

By  order  of  the  Committee, 

A.  G-.  Miller, 

Chairman. 
Carlisle,  Pa.,  December  15,  1898. 


1869.  1899. 

PROGRAMME. 


SABBxiTH,  JANUARY  1,  11  A.  M. 
Anthkm — "No  Shadows  Yonder," 

—  GauVs  Holy  CUij. 
Historical  Sermon — Rev.  Geo.  Norcross,  D.  D. 
Anniversary  Hymn — "  The  Pilgrim  Host." 

Now  rest,  ye  pilgrim  host 

Look  back  upon  your  way, 
The  mountains  climbed,  the  torrents  crossed. 

Through  many  a  weary  day. 
From  this  victorious  height, 

How  fair  the  past  appears, 
God's  grace  and  glory  shining  bright 

On  all  the  bygone  years. 

"  How  many  at  His  call, 

Have  parted  from  our  throng  ! 
They  watch  us  from  the  crystal  wall, 

And  echo  back  our  song. 
They  rest  beyond  complaints, 

Beyoud  all  sighs  and  tears ; 
Praise  be  to  God  for  all  His  saints 

Who  wrought  in  bygone  years. 

"  The  banners  they  upbore 

Our  hands  still  lift  on  high  ; 
The  Lord  they  followed  evermore 
To  us  is  also  nigh. 


S  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

Arise,  arise,  and  tread 

The  future  without  fears  ; 
He  leadeth  still,  whose  hand  hath  led 

Through  all  the  bygone  years. 

"  When  we  have  reached  the  home 

We  seek  with  weary  feet, 
Our  children's  children  still  shall  come 

To  keep  these  ranks  complete  ; 
And  He,  whose  host  is  one 

Throughout  the  countless  spheres, 
Will  guide  His  marching  servants  on 

Through  everlasting  years." 

SABBATH,  2.30  P.  M. 

Anthem — "Hark,  Hark,  My  Soul." 

— H  Rowe  Shelley. 

Historical  Address —  John  Hays,  Esq. 

Subject,  "  Civil  Liberty  and  Presbyterianism." 

SABBATH,  7  P.  M. 

Pv,EV.  Wm.  a.  West,  President  of  Metzger  College, 

Presiding. 

Addresses. 

Pev.  J.  Agnew  Crawford,  D.  D.,  Chambersburg,  Pa. — 

"  The  Ministry,  the  Glory  of  Christ." 

Rev.  William  H.  Logan,  Princess  Anne,  Md. — 

"  The  Advantages  of  a  Long  Pastorate." 
Eev.  W.  T.  L.  Kieffer,  Milton,  Pa.— 

"  What  I  Know  About  This  Church  and  Pastor." 


PROGRAMME.  'J 

MONDAY,  JANUARY  2,  2.30  P.  M. 

Rev.  Ebenezer  Erskine,  D.  D.,  Presiding. 

Anthem,  By  tho  Choir. 

addresses. 
Rev.  Wm.  A.  McCarrell,  Shippensburg,  Pa.— 

"  The  Ideal  Cliureh." 

Rev.  H.  G.  Stoetzer,  Mooi'edale,  Pa. — 

"  The  Pastor'.s  Band." 

Pvev.  Mervin  J.  Eckels,  D.  D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.— 
"  The  Comparative  Advantages  of  Country  and 
City  Pastorates." 
Rev.  Sheldon  Jackson,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Washington, 
D.  C— 
"  Outlook  of  the  Church  for  the  20th  Century." 

MONDAY,  7  P.  M. 

Duncan  M.  Graham,  Esq.,  President  of  the  Board 

of  Trustees,  Presiding. 

Musical  Selection — "  Was  it  Angels  ?" 

//    ]]'.  Pnrlrr. 

Short  Addresses  of  Congratulation  by  Hon.  R.  M. 

Henderson,  Dr.  W.  M.  Frysinger,  Dr.  H.  B.  Wile, 

Rev.  A.  N.  Hagerty,  Rev.  Geo.  H.  Bucher,  Rev. 

Robert  F.  McClean,  President  Reed  and  others. 

RECEPTION. 

For  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Norcross,  given  by  the  ladies  of 

the  congregation  in  the  church  parlors. 


10  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

COMMITTEES. 


Committee  from  Board  of  Trustees — D.  M.  Gni- 
ham,  Esq.,  Chairman;  A.  G.  Miller,  Esq.,  W. 
Chalmers  Stuart,  James  E,.  Means,  T.  J.  Parmley, 
E.  J.  Gardner  and  Pl.  B.  AVeaver,  Secretary. 

Committee  on  Programme  and  Invitations — A. 
G.  Miller,  Esq.,  Chairman ;  Major  Pi.  H.  Pratt, 
W.  Chalmers  Stuart,  James  R.  Means,  E.  J.  Gard- 
ner, George  McMillan,  A.  F.  Bedford,  D.  W. 
Houston,  R.  A.  Bucher,  Rev.  W.  A.  West  and  W. 
Linn  McCullough. 

Committee  on  Finance — Dr.  W.  Z.  Bentz,  Chair- 
man ;  W.  Scott  Coyle,  James  R.  Means,  Frank 
C.  Bosler,  T.  J.  Parmley,  W.  B.  Beitzel,  Max 
Cochran,  Dr.  S.  S.  Bishop,  Robert  H.  Pioyer  and 
Robert  M.  Stuart. 

Committee  on  Music  and  Decoration — Mrs.  J.  S. 
Bender,  Chairman ;  Mr.  John  Pv.  Bland,  Choir 
Master;  Mrs.  John  Hays,  Mrs.  E.  W.  Biddle, 
Mrs.  Walter  Beall,  Mrs.  Jas.  W.  Dale,  Miss  Jean 
Piichards,  Mrs.  Thos.  A.  Harper,  Mrs.  Wm.  Ken- 
nedy, Mrs.  Jos.  McKeehan  and  Miss  Lizzie  Hal- 
bert.  Organist. 

Committee  on  Reception  and  Entertainment — 
Mrs.  8.  A.  McDowell,  Chairman;  Mrs.  S.  J. 
Beetem,  Mrs.  Ellen  Parker,  Mrs.  Annie  E.  Zag, 
Miss  Virginia  H.  McClellan,  Mrs.  Wm.  Graham, 
Mrs.  John  Heber  Murray,  Mrs.  Daniel  S.  Craig- 
head, Miss  Mary  E.  Bosler,  Miss  Mary  Stuart, 
Miss  Fleta  Bosler,  Mrs.  A.  H.  Colwell,  Mrs.  A. 
A.  Thomson,  Mrs.  Mary  L.  Biddle  and  Mrs.  E. 
J.  Gardner. 


HISTORICAL  SERMON 

BY  THE  PASTOR, 

REV.  GEORGP]  NORCROSS,  D.  D. 


"  That  which  we  have  seen  and  heard  de- 
clare WE  UNTO  YOU." — I.  John  i  :  3. 

The  religion  of  the  Bible  is  historical.  It  is 
founded  on  great  facts  and  the  testimony  of  eye- 
witnesses. Though  enemies  without  and  traitors 
within  the  Church  are  doing  their  best  to  discredit 
the  historical  basis  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
these  efforts  will  end  in  defeat,  because  the  founda- 
tion of  our  holy  religion  is  historic  truth.  "  We 
have  not  followed  cunningly  devised  fables,"  said  the 
great  leader  of  the  Apostolic  College ;  and  the  be- 
loved disciple,  John,  echoes  the  same  sentiment  when 
he  declares  in  the  words  of  our  text,  "  That  which 
we  have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto  you." 

It  is  true  that  some  men  have  imagined  that  a  re- 
ligion disentangled  entirely  from  all  historical  asso- 
ciations, and  commending  itself  immediately  to  the 
soul  by  its  mere  intrinsic  beauty  and  excellence. 


12  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSAKY. 

would  be  an  ideal .  system  of  devotion.  But,  what- 
ever might  be  thought  of  such  a  scheme,  it  would 
be  a  gross  abuse  of  words  to  call  it  Christianity. 
That  holy  religion  which  was  taught  by  Christ  and 
His  apostles  was  certainly  an  historical  religion — a 
religion  made  up  of  matters  of  fact,  and  propounded 
as  historical  verities  by  men  who,  at  the  risk  of  life 
itself,  declared,  "  We  cannot  but  speak  the  things 
which  we  have  seen  and  heard." 

As  the  cycling  ages  roll  away  this  testimony  of 
experience  is  ever  increasing.  The  myriad  host  who 
have  died  in  the  triumphs  of  the  faith  have  gone  to 
swell  the  list  of  "  infallible  proofs"  that  the  Church 
of  Christ,  which  was  originally  founded  on  facts,  is 
ever  growing  more  and  more  by  the  increase  of  facts 
into  the  divine  ideal  of  that  mystical  temple  of  God. 
which  will  contain  every  "  living  stone"  in  the  eter- 
nal plan. 

It  is  the  privilege  of  every  worker  to  add  his  mite 
to  this  ever-increasing  collection  of  facts.  To  have 
lived  and  wrought  in  the  last  half  of  the  nineteenth 
century  is  no  common  privilege ;  to  let  it  pass  in 
"  dumb  forgetfulness"  would  be  a  failure  to  give  God 
the  !j:;lory  that  is  due  unto  His  name. 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  13 

In  this  spirit  of  thanksgiving  we  are  hero  this 
morning ;  and,  as  we  raise  our  stone  of  El^enezer, 
we  say  devoutly,  "  Hitherto  hath  the  Lord  helped 
us  !"  We  recall  all  the  way  which  the  Lord  our 
God  hath  led  us,  and  would  say  reverently,  "  That 
which  we  have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto 
you." 

Five  years  ago  to-day  we  tried  to  put  on  record 
the  history  of  this  particular  Church  for  a  quarter 
of  a  century.  It  would  be  quite  useless  to  repeat 
the  story  now.  By  your  courtesy  it  was  committed 
then  carefully  to  the  sure  keeping  of  "  the  art  pre- 
servative," and  there  let  it  rest.  But  we  have  other 
relations  to  the  Church  and  the  world  around  us 
which  we  must  not  forget.  Let  us  make  a  study  of 
these  wider  relations  to-day.  Let  us  recall  the  his- 
tory of  our  times,  and  see,  if  possible,  what  God  is 
teaching  by  the  fast-hurrying  events  of  this  nine- 
teenth century,  now  grown  grey  and  old. 

'•  For  1  doubt  not  through  the  ages  one  increasing  purpose 

runs. 
And  the  thoughts  of  men  are  widened  with  the  process  of 

the  suns." 

In  the  affairs  of  human  life  there  is  a  time-hon- 
ored distinction  of  sacred  and  secular,  or  of  the  holy 
and  profane  ;  and   while  it  may  be  seriously  ques- 


14  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

tioned  whether  the  division  is  very  exact,  yet,  in  a 
general  way,  .it  must  be  confessed  there  is,  and 
ought  to  be,  a  wide  distinction  between  the  Church 
and  the  world.  The  Church  as  an  indwelling,  in- 
spiring influence,  has  much  more  to  do  than  men 
generally  suppose  in  shaping  the  history  of  the 
world.  Who  of  us  doubts  that  a  reformed  Church 
and  an  open  Bible  have  given  the  Anglo-Saxon  race 
for  the  last  two  centuries  a  predominant  influence  in 
the  politics  of  the  world  ?  Who  cannot  see  that 
during  the  same  time  a  corrupt  and  apostate  Church 
has  been  like  a  millstone  hanged  about  the  neck  of 
unhappy  Spain  ? 

But,  without  making  a  digression  into  the  burn- 
ing questions  of  the  hour,  let  us  follow  the  lines  al- 
ready indicated,  and  study 

I.  The  Experiences  of  the  Church  during  the  last 
half-century. 

It  is  true  that  this  is  only  a  Thirtieth  Anniver- 
sary, but  if  we  would  really  understand  this  period, 
we  must  go  back  a  little  and  estimate  the  influences 
already  at  work. 

1.  Naturally  our  first  concern  is  with  our  own 
denomination — the  Presbyterian  Church. 


HISTORICAL   SERMON.  15 

It  will  soon  be  two  hundred  years  since  the 
mother  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  was  organized. 
Scattering  churches  had  existed  for  thirty  or  forty 
yeai^  before  that  time.  There  was  one  division  of 
the  Church  during  last  centuiy,  which  was  healed 
after  a  few  years  of  separation.  But  the  saddest 
division  our  Church  has  experienced  occurred  about 
sixty  years  ago. 

It  so  happened  under  the  good  providence  of  God 
that  for  a  few  years  my  family  were  connected  with 
the  New  School  branch  of  the  Church  ;  but  when  in 
1844  we  removed  to  the  West  our  lot  was  cast  in 
the  midst  of  an  Old  School  Church,  where  I  grew  up 
to  manhood.  Perhaps  this  personal  experience  has 
enabled  me  to  understand  the  spirit  of  the  two  sides 
better  than  as  though  all  my  relations  had  been 
with  one  party. 

The  diiference  of  opinion  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church  was  not  so  much  over  doctrine  as  polity. 
It  is  true  that  the  patience  of  the  Church  was  sorely 
taxed  by  some  men  who  rushed  into  print  with  loud 
professions  of  improvements  in  theology  and  the  re- 
pudiation of  the  systems  in  which  they  had  been 
taught;  but  since  the  smoke  of  controversy  has 
cleared  away  this  loud  outcry  seems  to  have  indica- 


16  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

ted  ebullitions  of  personal  conceit  rather  than  seri- 
ous and  general  differences  in  doctrine.  The  un- 
wise course  of  such  men  helped  greatly  to  distract 
the  Churchy  and  they  were  responsible  for  the  spirit 
of  distrust  which  so  widely  prevailed  among  con- 
servative people. 

When,  however,  the  time  for  reunion  came  both 
parties  claimed  that  they  accepted  the  Westminster 
system  in  good  faith.  Honest  Presbyterians  could 
hardly  have  done  that,  if  there  had  been  really 
much  difference  of  doctrine  between  the  two  branches 
of  the  American  Church. 

The  real  difference  had  been  one  of  polity  or 
church  administration.  There  had  always  been  a 
close  bond  between  the  Puritan  Churches  of  New 
England  and  the  Presbyterian  Churches  of  the  Mid- 
dle and  Southern  States.  They  both  accepted  the 
doctrinal  system  of  the  Westminster  fathers,  but 
they  differed  in  their  methods  of  church  govern- 
ment. The  Independent  system  became  dominant 
in  New  England,  and  finally  absorbed  almost  all  the 
Presbyterianisra  which  at  one  time  had  settled  in 
that  region.  We  know  that  a  Presbytery  of  Lon- 
donderry existed  for  forty  years,  and  so  numerous 
were  Presbyterians  in  New  England  that  a  Synod 


IMSTOIIICAL    SERMON.  17 

was  organized,  and  continued  for  some  time,  but 
was  finally  absorbed  in  the  State  establishment  of 
Congregationalism. 

When  the  streams  of  influence  bei2;an  to  move  out 
toward  the  West,  Independency  and  Presbytery  be- 
gan to  touch  in  New  York,  Ohio  and  other  west- 
ern fields,  and  then  came  a  curious  blending  of  in- 
terests, and  often  a  union  of  incongruous  methods. 
The  New  England  man  had  been  accustomed  to 
one  way  of  doing  things  in  the  church  and  the 
Presbyterian  had  been  accustomed  to  another  way. 
Both  knew  they  were  right ;  neither  one  w^ould 
yield  much,  and  so  the  "  conflict  of  opposing  and 
enduring  forces"  began,  and  who  could  tell  where  it 
would  end  ? 

In  the  interest  of  peace  and  amity  a  "  Plan  of 
Union"  was  adopted  by  the  Churches  of  New  Eng- 
land, represented  by  the  Association  of  Connecticut 
and  the  General  i\.ssembly  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  This  proved  to  be  an  effort  to  mix  oil  and 
water — only  a  mechanical  union  resulted.  In  the 
end  the  "  Plan"  was  repudiated  by  both  parties. 
But  a  large  number  of  Churches  came  into  exist- 
ence, which  in  polity  were  neither  Congregational 
nor  Presbyterian.     They  were,  however,  nominally 


18  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

in  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  sent  "  Committee- 
men" instead  of  Elders  to  the  General  Assembly. 

The  Congregational  Churches  of  New  England 
had  a  system  of  "■  Voluntary  Societies"  for  the  pros- 
ecution of  Home  and  Foreign  Mission  work.  Men 
who  had  either  grown  up  in  New  England,  or  been 
educated  there,  looked  upon  these  societies  with 
favor,  but  the  Presbyterian  party  came  to  regard 
them  all  with  suspicion,  as  gradually  working  the 
disintegration  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

These  conditions  in  the  Church  developed  two 
pretty  clearly  defined  parties.  They  began  to  be 
known  as  the  New  School  and  the  Old  School,  and 
as  these  two  parties  were  nearly  balanced  there  was 
a  sharp  struggle  for  the  ascendency  in  every  Gen- 
eral Assembly.  ''  During  seven  years,  "  says  Dr. 
Stearns,  ''from  1831  to  1837,  inclusive,  the  New 
School  held  the  majority  in  that  body  five  times, 
and  their  rivals,  the  Old  School,  only  twice." 
Threats  were  made  by  what  seemed  to  be  the  domi- 
nant party  that  they  had  the  upper  hand,  and  they 
were  going  to  keep  it. 

In  this  emergency  the  leaders  of  the  Old  School 
party  felt  that  the  Presbyterian  Church  must  be 
purged  of  what  in  their  estimation  were  alien  ele- 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  19 

merits.  They  regarded  the  "  Plan  of  tTiiion"  as  the 
source  of  all  the  incongruous  matter  which  had 
come  into  the  Church,  and  therefore  they  thought 
it  not  only  ill-advised,  hut  an  unconstitutional 
measure.  As  they  mused  over  the  situation  they 
were  prepared  for  heroic  treatment  of  the  Church 
at  the  next  General  Assembly. 

When  the  Assembly  of  1837  was  convened  it  was 
found  that  the  Old  School  party  had  a  majority,  and 
they  proceeded  to  declare  the  "  Plan  of  Union"  un- 
constitutional, and  therefore  null  and  void  from  the 
beginning.  This  action  brought  out  a  violent  pro- 
test, which  received  an  elaborate  answer. 

The  votes  on  test  questions  in  that  Assembly 
showed  that  the  minority  was  nearly  as  large  as  the 
majority.  As  the  existing  discord  between  the  two 
parties  was  felt  to  be  intolerable,  it  was  next  pro- 
posed to  make  an  amicable  division  of  the  Church. 
Both  parties  consented  to  the  proposal.  An  able 
committee  was  appointed  to  devise  a  plan,  but  fail- 
ing to  agree  as  to  methods,  they  asked  to  be  dis- 
charged. 

The  time  for  radical  measures  had  come.  To  save 
the  life  of  the  Church  the  General  Assembly  decided 
to  amputate  the  limb  that  could  not  be  cured,  and 


20  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

the  four  Synods  of  Western  Reserve,  Utica,  Geneva 
and  Genesee  were  declared  to  be  "  no  longer  a  part 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  of 
America." 

The  action  certainly  seemed  very  severe  at   the 
time  and  there  was  a  loud  outcry  against   it ;    but 
the   subsequent    experiences     of  the    New    School 
party  when  they  were  left  to  work  alone  with  the 
New  England  societies  showed  that  it  was  the  only 
way  to  peace  and  safety.     For  quite  a  number    of 
years  the    New    School   brethren    tried   loyally   to 
work  in  the  way  they  had   honestly   defended,    but 
finally  they  practically  adopted  the  Old  School   pol- 
icy and  organized  their  own  boards  for  Home    Mis- 
sion work,,  and  about  the  same  time  the  Congrega- 
tionalists  repudiated  the  "Plan  of  Union."     A  good 
many    Churches   that   had    been    called    nominally 
Presbyterian  dropped  all  connection  with  the  Pres- 
byterian  Church  and  became    Congregational,  and 
so  the  way  was  gradually  cleared  for  the   reunion 
in  1869  and  187t)  of  all  the  Churches  in  the   North 
which  were  in  doctrine  and  polity  Presbyterian.     It 
is  certainly  creditable  to  both  bodies  that  after  ma- 
ture deliberation  this  reunion  was  consummated  be- 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  21 

tweeii  them  on  the  basis  of  the   "  Standards  pure 
and  simple." 

The  story  of  this  schism  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church  and  our  recovery  from  it  reminds  us  of  an- 
other division  which  still  remains  a  sad  reproach  to 
our  Presbsterian  name.  One  of  the  unfortunate 
consequences  of  the  slavery  agitation  was  the  rup- 
ture which  it  wrought  in  the  Church  oi  Christ.  The 
Methodist  Church  was  divided  over  the  question  as 
early  as  1845.  The  New  School  branch  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  divided  on  the  question  of 
slavery  in  1867,  and  the  Synods  of  the  South  form- 
ed themselves  into  a  body  called  the  United  Synod 
OF  THE  Presbyterian  Church." 

The  division  of  the  Old  School  Presbyterian 
Church  came  with  the  bursting  of  the  bonds  which 
had  held  the  North  and  the  South  together  as  one 
united  country.  For  some  time  it  had  been  the 
boast  of  the  Old  School  men  that  their  church  was 
one  of  the  strong  ties  which  hol[)ed  to  maintain  the 
national  unity.  There  was  truth  in  that  claim  ; 
but  how  could  men  remain  in  one  church  when  they 
were  fighting  each  other  the  whole  length  of  the 
Mason  and  Dixon's  Line  ?  The  secession  came  at 
last,  and  so  intense  were  the  animosities  and  pre- 


22  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

indices  of  the  time  that  to  this  day    the   unhappy 
l)reach  has  never  been  healed. 

On  Dec.  4,  1861,  the  first  General  Assembly  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  South  was  convened' 
at  Augusta,  Ga,  This  secession  drew  off  first  and 
last  about  700  ministers  and  1,200  churches  from 
our  connection.  A  union  was  formed  in  1863  with' 
the  New  School  Synod  of  the  South.  This  added' 
to  the  Southern  Church  about  120  ministers  and  190 
churches.  Since  the  closeof  the  war  there  has  been 
steady  growth  in  this  Church.  It  is  steadfast  for 
the  truth,  intensely  conservative,  full  of  missionary 
zeal,  and  ardent  in  its  attachment  for  all  the  old 
Presbyterian  ways.  It  now  numbers  1,448  minis- 
ters and  2,873  churches.  It  is  in  fraternal  relations 
with  our  Church,  but  every  eff'ort  at  reunion  has 
hitherto  failed.  We  know  not  what  surprises  the 
future  may  have  in  store  for  us,  but  it  does  seem 
that  a  reunion  with  these  brethren  in  the  South 
must  be  inevitable  in  the  end. 

A  matter  of  peculiar  interest  to  our  Church  is  the 
system  of  Pan-Presbyterian  Councils^  which  has  been 
established  during  my  ministry  among  you.  For 
nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century  there  has  been  a  world- 
wide union  of  all  Presbyterian  Churches  for  mutual 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  23 

encouragement  and  support.  In  1876  the  General 
Assembly  entered  into  the  "Alliance  of  the  Ke- 
formed  Churches  throughout  the  world  holding  the 
Presbyterian  system." 

The  first  General  Council  on  this  basis  was  held 
in  Edinburg,  Scotland,  the  next  year,  and  your  pas- 
tor had  the  honor  of  being  an  "  Associate  Member" 
of  that  notable  assembly.  It  was,  indeed,  an  in- 
spiring sight.  Here  were  men  from  every  conti- 
nent of  the  globe  and  from  nearly  every  island  of 
the  sea.  The  castle  of  Heidelberg  was  once  thought 
to  be  the  capital  of  the  Reformed  Faith,  but  here 
were  the  men  of  Heidelberg  feeling  more  at  hom.e 
in  "  Auld  Reekie"  than  they  would  have  done  on 
their  own  crag  overlooking  the  Neckar. 

The  Huguenots  were  once  thought  to  be  the  lead- 
ing supporters  of  their  own  brother,  Calvin,  but 
here  was  the  best  that  remains  of  the  Huguenots 
sitting  quite  at  home  in  Old  St.  Giles,  and  uncover- 
ing reverently  at  the  grave  of  John  Knox.  The 
world  of  thought  is  beginning  to  realize  what  it 
owes  to  "  brave  little  Holland,"  whom  siege  and 
famine  and  death  could  not  daunt,  in  the  days  when 
the  cruel  Spanish  Alva  sought  to  crush  her  to  the 
earth.     Manv  of  the  brave  sons  of  Dort  were  there, 


24  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

and  held  an  honored  place  in  this,  the  first  Council 
of  the  Pteformed  Faith. 

It  was  more  than  three  hundred  years  since  Cran- 
mer,  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  wrote  to  John 
Calvin,  proposing  a  union  of  all  the  Eeformed 
Churches.  In  this  letter  he  said :  "  Our  adversa- 
ries are  now  holding  their  Councils  at  Trent,  for  the 
establishment  of  their  errors  ;  and  shall  we  neglect 
to  call  together  a  godly  Synod,  for  the  refutation  of 
error,  and  for  restoring  and  propagating  the  truth  ?" 

To  this  proposal  Calvin  replied  most  cordially,  and 
declared  that  to  accomplish  such  a  purpose  he 
"  would  not  grudge  to  cross  ten  seas."  Poor,  short- 
sighted men'!  They  did  not  think  that  after  three 
hundred  years  the  English  Church  would  not  be  re- 
formed enough  to  be  interested  in  such  a  gathering 
met  for  the  promotion  of  a  Scriptural  faith  and 
polity  ;  but  would  be  looking  back  mournfully  to  the 
good  old  times  when  the  Church  was  not  reformed 
at  all. 

But  all  this  recalls  some  intei*esting  events  in  the 
history  of  the  English  Church  during  this  last  half 
century.  After  being  one  of  the  great  bulwarks  of 
Protestantism  for  more  than  three  hundred  years, 
many  of  her  most  illustrious  sons  seem  to  be  ashamed 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  25 

of  her  past  record.  A  wonderful  revolution  has 
been  going  on  in  the  life-time  of  some  of  us  here 
present.  The  Erastianism  which  once  satislicd  at 
least  the  High  Churchman  now  satisfies  him  no 
longer.  There  is  a  loud  cry  for  Church  reform.  By 
that  one  class  means  changes  that  would  approach 
Presbyterianism,  but  another  class  means  the  imita- 
tion of  Romanism.  The  average  Churchman  has 
waked  up  to  the  fact  that  the  English  Estal)lish- 
ment  has  long  been  dominated  over  by  the  State  in 
a  way  thait-  is  dishonoring  to  Christ  and  His  cause. 

But  to  a  loyal  Presbyterian  the  Churchman's  zeal 
on  this  subject  often  takes  an  amusing  form.  Wo 
can  hardly  understand  how  a  man  in  this  ago  of  the 
world  could  be  willing  to  go  to  jail  for  the  privilege 
of  conforming  his  worship  to  a  fashion  set  by  the 
Roman  apostasy.  At  this  time  in  the  world's  his- 
tory, it  seems  rather  amusing  to  find  a  young  min- 
ister honestly  considering  whether  a  clergyman  is 
not  bound  to  be  a  celibate,  whether  monkery  would 
not  be  a  good  thing  after  all,  whether  the  Reforma- 
tion of  the  16th  Century  was  not  a  mistake,  whether 
it  would  not  be  advisable  to  strike  the  word  "  Pro- 
testant" out  of  the  name  of  the  Church  of  England. 
Can  vou  imagine  the  amused   interest   or   in<lignin)t 


26  A  THIETIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

scorn  with  wkicli  John  Calvin  would  have  regarded 
Mr.  Gladstone's  act  of  interviewing  the  Pope  to 
know  whether  the  orders  of  the  English  Church 
were  valid  or  not  ?  I  think  the  little  tractate 
which  the  great  reformer  would  have  written  on  the 
subject  would  have  made  very  interesting  reading, 

"Well,  well,  it  is  not  our  affair,  but  in  taking  a 
glance  at  all  the  world  we  can  hardly  be  blamed  for 
noticing  an  institution  that  looms  up  as  large  as  the 
Established  Church  of  England,  After  all  we  can 
not  believe  that  the  sturdy  sense  of  the  English 
people  will  succumb  to  the  follies  of  these  reaction- 
ists. The  sensible  people  in  the  establishment  will 
find  themselves  helped  by  the  strong  evangelical 
spirit  of  the  Dissenters,  and  England  will  never  lose 
her  place  as  the  bulwark  of  Protestantism. 

But  surely  this  hasty  review  of  the  Church  would 
not  be  complete  without  noticing  the  singular  fort- 
unes of  that  venerable  system  which  accepts  as  its 
Head  the  Pope  of  Rome.  To  the  theologian  or  the 
student  of  Church  History,  the  Church  of  Rome  has 
in  our  day  made  two  conspicuous  advances  in  that 
downward  course  which  began  with  the  subtle  move- 
ment of    "  THE    MYSTERY    OF    INIQUITY  "    which    the 

Apostle  Paul  noted  as  already  working  in  his  day. 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  27 

One  of  these  new  departures  for  the  worse  was  the 
adoption  by  the  Church  of  an  old  specuhition  con- 
cerning the  ''  Immacuhite  Conception  of  the  Virgin 
Mary,  "  the  other  was  the  adoption  of  the  dogma 
concerning  "the  Supremacy  and  Iiifallihility  of  the 
Pope." 

The  doctrine  of  the  TmmacuUite  Conception  of  the 
Virgin  Marv,  which  means  that  she  was  born  per- 
fectly free  from  the  taint  of  Ol-ig-inal  Sin,  was  much 
debated  from  the  12th  to  th-e  14th  Century.  In  oth- 
er words,  it  was  an  open  question,  even  among  the 
fiiithful,  and  it  remained  so  until  the  8th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1854,  when  this  new  artick'  was  added  to  the 
creed  of  the  Roman  Church.  St.  Bernard,  St. 
Thomas  Aquinas,  the  Dominicans,  and  many  more 
had  opposed  the  doctrine  as  unscriptural  and  un- 
reasonable; but  Pope  Pius  IX  having  sent  a  circular 
to  all  the  bishops  of  his  Church  throughout  the  world,- 
and  having  obtained  the  assent  of  a  large  majority 
of  them,  publicly  declared  this  monstrous  heresy  to 
be  a  doctrine  of  the  Church,  and  every  good  Cath- 
olic must  believe  it  now  on  pain  of  dam-nation. 

The  dogma  of  the  Pope's  Infallibility  was  also  an 
advance  on  the  former  position  of  the  Pv.oman  Church' 
on  this  subject.     She  had  novcr  cl aimed  mon^  than 


28  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

that  the  Church  was  infallible.  Some  held  tha.t  this 
infallibility  resided  in  a  Council,  some  that  it  was 
in  the  Pope,  while  others  thought  that  it  was  in  both 
united.  But  in  1870  the  Vatican  Council  promul- 
gated the  doctrine  of  the  Pope's  Infallibility  in  all 
its  bald  ofFensiveness,  though  it  was  opposed  by  many 
at  that  time  in  good  standing  in  the  Church.  It  re- 
sulted in  a  schism  in  the  Roman  Communion,  and 
the  formation  of  the  "Old  Catholic  Church,"  under 
the  lead  of  the  great  scholar,  Doellinger. 

To  many  Protestant  minds  this  dogma  filled  the 
cup  of  that  Apostasy  which  St.  Paul  predicted  would 
come  in  the  Church  of  God,  and  completed  the  pic- 
ture of  "  the  man  of  sin"  who  would  exalt  himself, 
"  so  that  he,  as  God,  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God, 
showing  himself  that  he  is  God"  (2  Thess.  ii.  4). 

Students  of  prophecy  had  long  predicted  that  the 
latter  part  of  this  century  would  witness  overwhelm- 
ing changes  in  that  great  Apostasy  foretold  as  com- 
ing in  the  Church  of  God.  It  is  a  curious  fact  that 
as  soon  as  this  dogma  of  the  Pope's  Infallibility  was 
promulgated,  the  Emperor  of  the  French  was  com- 
pelled to  withdraw  his  forces  from  Pi,ome,  where  they 
had  kept  the  Pope  on  his  throne  of  temporal  author- 
ity.    As  the  French  went  out,  the  army  of  united 


HISTORICAL  SEKMi'tN.  29 

Italy,  under  Victor  Emmanuel,  came  in,  and  the 
Infallible  Pope  retired  before  his  loving  children  to 
the  Vatican,  where  he  has  been  playing  at  "  pris- 
oner's base"  ever  since. 

It  is  also  interesting  to  note  that  the  cause  of 
haste  on  the  part  of  the  Emperor,  Louis  Napoleon, 
in  withdrawing  his  troops  from  the  support  of  the 
"  Holy  Father"  was  the  threatened  avalanche  from 
Protestant  Germany,  where  the  Lutheran  King  of 
Prussia  was  furbishing  his  sword  for  that  conflict, 
which,  in  a  short  time,  crowned  him  in  the  palace 
of  Versailles  the  Emperor  of  United  Germany. 
Surely  he  must  be  blind  who  cannot  see  in  all  this 
the  finger  of  God. 

Did  time  permit,  it  would  be  very  interesting  to 
review  more  at  length  the  progress  of  the  Church  at 
large.  Even  the  very  conservative  Greek  Church 
has  been  considerably  modified  by  Evangelical  mis- 
sionaries from  the  West. 

The  Lutheran  Church  of  Germany  has  in  a 
measure  recovered  from  the  palsy  of  Rationalism, 
which  rested  like  an  incubus  upon  it  during  the  first 
half  of  this  century.  Our  brethren,  the  Waldenses, 
have  entered  on  a  career  of  evangelization  through- 
out the  whole  extent  of  Italy,  and  are  now  as  much 


30  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

petted  as  they  were  once  persecuted  by  the  House 
of  Savoy. 

The  Evangelical  Churches  of  this  country  are 
striving  with  generous  emulation  to  take  the  land 
for  Christ,  and  are  more  than  ever  inclined  to  mag- 
nify the  fundamentals  in  which  they  agree  and  to 
minify  the  non-essentials  in  which  they  differ.  A 
spirit  of  missionary  zeal  has  taken  possession  of 
every  branch  of  the  Church,  which  promises  the 
speedy  evangelization  of  our  lost  world.  The  signs 
that  "  the  morning  cometh"  are  so  bright  that  we 
seem  to  hear  the  Spirit  of  G-od  saying  to  a  tempest- 
tossed  Church,  "  Look  up,  and  lift  up  your  heads ; 
for  your  redemption  draweth  nigh." 

II.  But  now  turning  to  the  more  secular  aspects 
of  histoiy,  let  us  review  the  events  which  have 
crowded  the  last  half  of  this  Century. 

Some  of  you  will  remember  the  rejoicings  in  1850 
over  the  Compromise  Measures  by  Congress,  which 
it  was  hoped  would  bring  peace  to  the  country  then 
dangerously  agitated  over  the  question  of  slavery. 
The  history  of  the  next  ten  years  showed  that  the 
subject  of  slavery  could  not  be  kept  out  of  politics. 
The  national  conscience  was  not  at  ease,  and  could 
not  be  quieted  by  any  kind  of  compromise  ;  while 


HISTOKICAL  SERMON.  31 

tlie  friends  of  "  the  patriarchal  institution "  were 
defending  their  practice  of  slave-holding  by  the  ex- 
ample of  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob,  as  the  cham- 
pions of  polygamy  in  Utah  are  doing  to-day.  These 
fiery  spirits  at  the  South  were  getting  more  indig- 
nant every  day  over  their  imaginary  wrongs,  and 
finally  the  Presidential  election  in  1860  was  made 
the  pretext  for  precipitating  on  the  country  all  the 
horrors  of  a  civil  war. 

The  people  had  become  accustomed  to  sectional 
threats,  but  many  thought  them  idle  vaporings  only 
intended  for  political  effect.  The  apathy  of  the 
country  under  the  reports  of  treasonable  movements 
in  the  South  now  seems  almost  incredible.  But  all 
this  was  suddenly  changed  when  the  infatuation  of 
treason  fired  on  Fort  Sumter.  Suddenly  the  North 
rose  up  like  a  young  giant  awaked  out  of  sleep.  The 
indignation  at  this  insult  to  the  national  flag  knew 
no  bounds.  It  swept  like  a  flame  from  Maine  to 
California,  and  all  party  ties  were  consumed  before  it. 

This  generation  can  never  forget  the  anxieties, 
the  sufferings,  the  sorrows,  the  awful  bereavements 
of  the  next  five  years  culminating  in  the  tragic 
death  of  him  whom  the  great  mass  of  the  })Cojile  had 
come  to  trust  and  love  as  the  father  of  liis  couutrv. 


32  A  THIETIETH  ANNIVERSARY, 

It  will  be  impossible  to  follow  the  fortunes  of  the 
fight  during  all  those  weary  years.  But  what  need 
is  there  ?  You  can  read  them  to-day  in  the  scars 
which  those  events  cut  deep  and  during  on  your  own 
hearts. 

To  the  people  of  Carlisle,   however,   the  struggle 
assumed  an  awful  significance  when  finally  the  tide 
of  war  came  sweeping  near  their  homes.     Many  of 
you    remember   the   alarms  of  that  quiet  summer 
when  the  storm  of  conflict  burst  in  upon  your  peace- 
ful valley  and  the  thunder  of  artillery  demanded 
the  surrender  of  this  ancient  and  honorable  bor- 
ough, and  the  time-honored  buildings  at  the   Gar- 
rison were  wrapt  in  flames,   and  the  flying  shells 
were  screaming  high  in  the  air  over  homes  that  had 
never  known  the  fright  of  war  before.     A  few  of 
you  can  remember  the  far  awa}^  boom  of  that  ter- 
rific cannonade,  which  around  the  neighboring  town 
of  Gettysburg  was  settling  for  us  all  the  uncertain 
question  of  national  destiny.     Who  of  you  then  liv- 
ing can  ever  forget  the  agony  of  those  days  ?     You 
did  not  know  then,  as  we  do  now,  that  the  waves  of 
rebellion  had  reached  their  highest  water  mark  that 
fateful  summer.     But  so  it  was,  and  as  we  stand  on 
the  summit  of  the  National  Cemetery  at  Gettysburg 


IlI.STOr.ICAL  SERMON.  33 

where  President  Lincoln  pronounced  his  immortal 
eulogy  over  those  dead  heroes  who  had  given  their 
lives  for  the  unity  of  the  nation,  we  see  in  imagina- 
tion the  crest  of  that  wave  of  frantic  rebellion  as  it 
rises  in  Pickett's  desperate  charge,  and  breaks  .at 
the  feet  of  the  boys  in  blue,  and  sinks  awav  in  hope- 
less repulse. 

There  was  serious  work  still  to  be  done,  for  the 
demon  of  sectional  hate  was  hard  to  cast  out.  But 
the  Federal  forces  had  found  a  leader  in  "  the  great- 
est Captain  of  the  age."  It  was  said  of  the  reticent 
Von  Moltke  that  "  he  could  hold  his  tongue  in  nine 
languages."  General  Grant  was  undoubtedlv  the 
equal  of  the  great  German  both  in  genius  and  reti- 
cence. In  the  deep  dark  shades  of  the  "  Wilder- 
ness" the  fight  went  on  for  awdiile  ;  but  at  last  even 
the  gallant  leader  of  the  "  Lost  Cause,"  Gen,  Eobert 
E.  Lee,  the  darling  of  the  South,  gave  the  signal 
for  surrender — the  two  great  chiefs  met  with  every 
mark  of  courtesy  and  consideration  at  Appomattox 
Court  House,  such  terms  of  capitulation  were  agreed 
on  as  even  the  South  pronounced  generous  and  hon- 
orable, and  the  War  of  the  Great  Ptebellion  Wiis 
over. 


34  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

In  the  awful  heats  of  that  conflict  were  melted  the 
shackels  of  a  race  of  bondmen,  and  God  solved  the 
problem  of  slavery,  which  had  proved  too  hard  for 
our  statesmen.  It  is  His  prerogative  to  overrule 
evil  for  good,  and  it  is  quite  remarkable  how  the 
whole  country  has  recovered  its  sense  of  unity,  and 
how  the  men,  who  once  stood  glaring  at  each  other 
in  the  deadly  strife  of  battle  now  sit  around  the 
same  camp-fires  in  friendly  converse,  and  live  over 
again  the  stirring  scenes  of  that  awful  time. 

We  have  scarcely  heard  the  sound  of  fife  and 
drum  again,  except  in  gala  day  procession,  until  that 
dull,  heavy  explosion  under  the  Maine  in  the 
treacherous  harbor  of  Havana  aroused  the  nation 
from  its  selfish  lethargy,  and  reminded  us  all  that  a 
people  capable  of  such  a  wanton  act  of  cruel  perfidy 
could  not  be  trusted  in  the  commonwealth  of  nations 
with  the  care  of  a  subject  people  reduced  to  the 
point  of  starvation  by  oppression  and  misgovern- 
ment. 

Perhaps  never  in  the  history  of  the  world  was  an 
army  gathered  in  such  hot  haste.  Men  needed  no 
urging  to  enlist ;  for  their  blood  was  up,  and  even 
the  children  wanted  to  fight  the  Spaniards.  In  a 
Summer  of  unusual  heat,  men  were  eager  to  invade 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  35 

the  tropical  climate  of  Cuba,  and  face  the  dc^adly 
malaria  of  festering  swamps  and  dare  the  poisonous 
breath  of  the  yellow  fever,  and  fight  the  dastard 
race  who,  from  the  days  of  the  Spanish  Armada, 
had  sought  the  downfall  of  Anglo-Saxon  civil  and 
religious  lil)erty. 

Suddenly,  like  thunder-bolts  out  of  heaven,  the 
vengeance  of  a  free  people  fell  on  the  forces  of  Spain, 
where  they  hovered  like  eagles  gathered  about  the 
carcass  of  a  dying  people  half  the  world  apart. 
Certainly,  never  before  in  the  history  of  the  world 
were  two  such  naval  victories  won  as  that  in  the 
Bay  of  ]\Ianila,  which  has  made  the  name  of  Dewey 
iamous  forever,  and  that  which  crowned  the  exciting 
ehase  and  capture  of  Cervera's  fleet  as  it  escaped  from 
the  narrow-mouthed  Harbor  of  Santiago  de  Cuba, 
only  to  be  sunk  and  destroyed  in  the  blue  waters  of 
the  Caribbean  Sea. 

The  wisest  of  all  our  publie  men  cannot  tell  ex- 
actly what  the  outcome  of  all  this  will  be.  But  the 
treaty  of  peace  has  been  signed  at  Paris,  and  the 
heel  of  the  opjn-essor  and  the  thumb-screw  of  the 
Inquisition  have  heen  removed  forever  from  these 
prostrate  Islands,  and  the  door  is  opened  wide  foi; 
the  entrance  of  light  and  liberty  to  these  benighted 


36  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

people,  whom  the  Lord  has  thus  brought  out  of  the 
darkness,  and  the  shadow  of  death,  and  has  broken 
their  bands  asunder.  May  God  give  to  the  Ameri- 
can people  the  wisdom  which  is  needed  in  these 
high  affairs  ! 

But  wars  are  by  no  means  the  most  important 
events  in  national  history.  They  have  a  wonderful 
power  to  arrest  the  eye,  to  quicken  the  pulse,  to  fire 
the  imagination,  and  they  are  often  used  as  God's 
hammer  to  shatter  hoary  abuses  ;  but  after  all, 
war  plays  but  a  small  part  in  the  real  story  of  na- 
tions ;  let  us  turn,  then,  to  the  triumphs  of  peace. 

It  is  difficult  to  speak  in  sober  terms  of  the  dis- 
coveries, inventions  and  improvements  of  the  last 
fifty  years.  They  have  silently  changed  the  intel- 
lectual and  social  life  of  the  civilized  world.  To  the 
men  of  a  former  generation,  the  stor}^  of  these  tri- 
umphs of  physical  science  would  have  sounded  like 
the  tales  of  the  Arabian  Nights  ;  to  the  spirit  of  the 
Middle  Ages  they  would  have  seemed  the  work  of 
the  Black  Art.  It  is  not  wonderful  that  their  suc- 
cess has  sometimes  turned  the  heads  of  scientists 
and  made  them  dream  that  man  is  independent  of 
God.  Men  have  not  always  had  the  reverence  of 
Joseph  Henry  in  approaching  the  thunder  cloud  of 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  37 

natural  forces,  who  said  to  his  assistant  in  electrical 
experiments,  "  Uncover  your  head  now,  for  I  am 
about  to  ask  God  a  question." 

But  already  the  lever  of  excitement  seems  to  have 
passed,  and  many  of  these  men  are  acknowledginij; 
"  the  sweet  reasonableness"  of  religion,  and  verify- 
ing the  wise  opinion  of  Bacon,  that  while  a  little 
philosophy  inclines  men  to  Atheism,  depth  in  phi- 
losophy brings  them  back  to  religion. 

We  can  hardly  trust  ourselves  to  speak  of  the 
development  of  our  own  country.  We  look  on  with 
amazement,  and  can  only  say,  What  hath  God 
wrought  ?  Who  lifted  the  veil  from  the  vista  of  the 
misty  future,  and  showed  the  prophet  that  the  time 
might  come  when  a  nation  should  be  born  in  a  day  ? 

Those  of  us  who  are  in  the  afternoon  of  life  can 
remember  when  the  Mississippi  river  was  the  some- 
what indefinite  boundary  of  our  Western  settle- 
ments, and  all  beyond  was  the  Great  American 
Desert  and  the  Rocky  Mountains.  This  was  before 
Whitman  stayed  the  hand  of  our  diplomats  at  Wash- 
ington, and  saved  to  the  Stars  and  Stripes  the  land 
which  the  poet  of  that  day  described  as 


38  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY, 

"The  continuous  woods, 
Where  rolls  the  Oregon,  and  hears  no  sound 
Save  his  own  dashings  -yet  the  dead  are  there  ! 
And  millions  in  those  solitudes,  since  first 
The  flight  of  years  began,  have  laid  them  down 
In  their  last  sleep — the  dead  reign  there  alone  !" 

AVell,  the  wand  of  the  magician,  or,  better  still, 
the  breath  of  God,  has  passed  over  the  scene,  and 
the  reign  of  death  has  been  invaded,  and  now  the 
living  are  there. 

Some  of  us  can  remember  the  day  when  Thomas 
H.  Benton  stood  in  the  United  States  Senate  urging 
on  his  somewhat  incredulous  hearers  the  claims  of 
his  scheme  for  the  construction  of  a  railway  to  the 
Pacific  Coast.  In  mind's  eye  now,  we  can  see  the 
old  hero  as,  with  dexter  finger  pointing  toward  sun- 
set, he  exclaimed  dramatically,  "  There  lies  the 
East !"  How  little  did  he  dream  that  before  the 
century  would  close  a  half-dozen  lines  of  steel  rails 
would  bind  the  Pacific  Slope  to  the  Atlantic  Coast. 

But  the  time  fails  me  to  tell  all  tl\at  I  intended 
along  these  lines  of  material  progress.  The  mind 
of  man  has  been  busy  with  the  problems  of  nature 
in  the  heavens  above  and  the  earth  beneath.  We 
have  seen  space  shortened  and  time  annihilated. 
We  have  seen  the  liffhtnins;  cauo;ht  and  harnessed  to 
the  car  of  man,   fastened  at  the  crossinas   of  the 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  39 

streets  to  turn  his  midnight  into  day,  or  sent,  like 
swift  angels,  to  carry  his  message  over  river  and 
mountain  and  down  through  the  awful  depths  of 
"  the  sounding  sea." 

And  finally,  pei'haps  most  v/onderful  of  all,  by  tho 
mysterious  circuits  of  this  unseen  agent,  man  hears 
the  voice  of  his  brother  half  across  the  continent, 
and  thus  the  possibilities  of  human  utterance  are 
multiplied  ten  thousand  fold. 

But,  during  these  later  years  man  has  not  been 
satisfied  with  triumphs  over  nature ;  he  has  also  set 
about  recovering  as  much  as  possi])le  what  has  been 
lost  through  the  ravages  of  time.  The  spirit  of  his- 
torical research  has  been  very  much  quickened  by 
the  discovery  of  priceless  manuscripts,  the  decipher- 
ing of  lost  languages,  and  the  uncovering  of  buried 
cities.  The  spade  of  the  archaeologist  has  been 
richly  rewarded  l)y  the  spoils  of  lost  art,  the  clear 
record  of  old  inscriptions,  and  the  pompous  details 
of  dead  empires.  How  happy  is  the  antiquary  as 
he  turns  over  the  stone  leaves  of  this  ancient  his- 
tory, deciphers  the  clay  tal^lets  which  have  survived 
the  ruin  of  empires,  and  thus  rescues  from  the  maw 
of  oblivion  the  story  of  the  past. 


40  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

Many  other  events  of  the  past  few  years  crowd 
upon  us  as  worthy  of  honorable  mention,  but  I  may 
not  tax  your  patience  longer  in  this  direction.  How- 
ever, before  we  close  the  book,  you  may  Ije  ready  to 
ask,  What  do  you  think  the  most  impressive  lessons 
of  our  period  ?  What  has  Grod  been  teaching  us  by 
His  providences  ?     Well,  to  that  I  would  say, 

1.  The  most  impressive  lesson  of  our  times  is,  that 
the  Christian  relitrion  carries  with  it  the  blessina;  of 
God. 

The  Christian  nations  stand  in  the  forefront  of 
national  power  and  progress  ;  and  all  the  world  be- 
gins to  see  it.  The  domination  of  the  world  has 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  three  or  four  great  powers, 
and  these  powers  are  all  Christian  ;  and  all  the  world 
is  saying,  What  made  these  lands  so  great? 

Japan,  for  example,  wants  to  know  the  secret  of 
the  progress  in  the  Western  nations.  She  begins  to 
see  that  it  is  the  religion  of  these  nations  that  lays 
the  foundation  for  their  masterful  greatness.  She 
sends  her  bright  young  men  to  America,  to  England, 
to  France,  to  -'Germany,  that  they  may  learn  the 
secret  of  our  Western  civilization.  In  the  great 
universities  noisy  skeptics  try  to  put  them  on  the 
wrong  trail,  but  all  in  vain.     These  young  men  see 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  41 

that  the  Code  of  Moses  and  the  Sermon  on  the  Mount 
are  the  foundation  stones  on  which  alone  national 
greatness  can  be  built,  and  they  go  back  to  tell  the 
story. 

Even  China,  with  all  her  stupid  conservatism,  be- 
gins to  see  it — yes,  and  to  hear  it,  too,  in  the  roar 
of  the  guns  which  her  smart  young  rival,  Japan,  so 
audaciously  has  trained  upon  her  ports.  Egypt  and 
Palestine,  India  and  the  Isles  of  the  Sea,  are  all 
waking  up  to  the  idea  that  the  mighty  God  of  bat- 
tles is  with  the  Christian  nations. 

In  the  long  run,  a  nation  governed  by  the  princi- 
ples of  the  Koran  cannot  cope  with  one  saturated 
with  the  truths  of  the  Bible.  The  lazv  quietism  of 
Buddha  cannot  compete  with  the  tireless  activity  of 
the  Son  of  the  Carpenter.  The  car  of  Juggernaut 
is  not  the  car  of  progress.  Even  a  nation  which 
gives  half  its  days  to  the  veneration  of  the  Saints  is 
found  to  be  no  match  for  one  that  accepts  as  the  law 
of  God,  "  Six  days  shalt  thou  labor  and  do  all  thy 
work ;  but  the  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  of  the 
Lord  thy  God :  in  it  thou  shalt  not  do  any  work." 

In  other  words,  pure  religion  has  the  promise  not 
only  of  the  future  life,  but  of  that  which  must  be 
lived   in   this  work-day  world.     Man    mav  imagine 


42  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

that  he  can  improve  on  the  law  of  God,  but  the  issue 
shows  that  he  is  badly  mistaken.  God  is  teaching 
by  the  fate  of  nations  what  He  has  ordained  as  the 
everlasting  principles  of  sound  religion  for  the  human 
race  ;  and  one  of  the  hopeful  signs  of  a  coming  Mil- 
lenium is,  that  the  world  is  beginning  to  see  that 
the  blessing  of  God  abides  with  those  who  honor 
His  Son,  Jesus  Christ. 

2.  Another  important  lesson  wdiich  God  is  teach- 
ing in  our  day  is,  that  the  Church  is  most  successful 
when  independent  of  the  State. 

In  those  early  days  of  apostolic  fervor  and  sim- 
plicity, to  which  all  the  Church  looks  back  as  upon 
the  whole  the  most  successful  period  of  her  history, 
the  Church  expected  no  help  from  the  State,  and 
was  most  happy  when  she  was  left  alone,  even  iu 
contemptuous  neglect.  It  was  then  that,  full  of 
faith  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  she  swept  over  the  known 
world  and  planted  the  cross  in  every  corner  of  the 
Roman  Empire. 

But  with  her  great  success  came  entangling  alli- 
ances with  the  State.  It  was  a  proud  day  for  the 
Church  when  the  Emperor  Constantine  espoused  her 
cause,  and  called  the  Council  of  Nice  to  settle  her 
faith.     But  imperial  favor  was  by  no  means  an  un- 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  43 

mixed  good,  and  the  Church  has  been  slow  to  learn 
that  when  she  is  weak  then  is  she  strong,  that  she 
cannot  safely  accept  any  Head  Imt  her  Adorable 
Redeemer,  and  that  though  kings  may  be  her  "  nurs- 
ing fathers,"  their  help  may  be  given  in  such  a  way 
as  to  palsy  her  noblest  testimony  for  her  Divine 
Lord  and  Master. 

One  of  the  great  lessons  which  God  is  teaching  in 
our  land  seems  to  be  that  the  Church  not  only  does 
not  need  the  help  of  the  State,  but  is  far  more  suc- 
cessful without  it.  Many  plausible  arguments  may 
be  made  in  favor  of  political  patronage  for  the 
Church.  It  sounds  very  pious  that  kings  should  be 
"nursing  lathers,"  and  that  the  State  should  make 
a  profession  of  religion,  and  that  a  Christian  nation 
must  support  the  Christian  Church  ;  liut  sad  expe- 
rience has  taught  us  that  tlie  conquering  chariot  of 
Christ  cannot  be  "hitched"  to  the  "star"  of  any 
earthly  power,  however  imperial  it  may  Ite  in  glo- 
rious majesty. 

The  experience  of  America  has  shown  that  the 
Church  is  best  served  by  the  State  when  she  is  left 
free  from  political  patronage,  and  dependent  on  those 
who  accept  hei'  teaching,  love  her  worship,  and  de- 
sire the  extension  of  her  beniy;n  influence. 


44  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

This  old  question  is  one  of  importance,  even  at 
the  present  time,  for,  though  a  pure  American 
Church  does  not  ask  for  State  help  in  any  way,  a 
corrupt  Church  is  not  only  ready  to  take  it,  but  is 
constantly  plotting  raids  on  the  public  treasury,  and 
seeking  to  extend  her  power  through  corrupt,  politi- 
cal influence. 

The  Roman  hierarchy  indeed  makes  loud  pro- 
fessions of  only  wanting  "  an  open  field  and  no 
favor;"  but  the  fact  remains  that  E,ome  is  as  ready 
as  ever  to  take  public  money  to  support  her  schools 
and  her  charities,  to  say  nothing  of  her  imposing 
temples  which  she  loves  to  exhibit  in  conspicuous 
places  in  every  city.  All  our  public  men  are  beset 
with  her  cajoleries  and  threatened  with  her  ven- 
geance if  they  fail  to  do  her  bidding.  May  the 
American  people  never  forget  that  "  the  price  of 
liberty  is  eternal  vigilance  !" 

3.  Now  closely  related  to  all  thi^  is  another  les- 
son which  God  is  teaching, — and  that  is  the  need  of 
toleration  and  charity. 

By  this  I  do  not  mean  that  pseudo-charity  which 
is  ready  to  take  the  devil  under  its  patronage,  and 
allows  the  altars  of  Moloch  to  be  built  ''  fast  by  the 
oracle  of  God,"  but  the  charity  which  is  quick  to 


inSTORICAL  SERMON.  45 

note  the  lineamonts  of  Christ  and  is  ready  to  receive 
all  those  who  bear  His  divine  likeness. 

One  of  the  most  lirilliaiit  writers  of  oui-  day  has 
called  attention  to  the  fact,  that  God  \>y  His  Provi- 
dence has  compelled  the  modern  world  to  learn  the 
lesson  of  toleration  by  making  human  existence  in- 
tolerable while  Catholic  and  Protestant  sought  to 
exterminate  each  other.  It  is  not  that  now  they 
mutuallv  accept  each  other's  systems,  but  that  they 
have  learned  to  tolerate  each  other,  and  live  to- 
gether as  good  neighbors. 

If  I  rightly  judge  the  signs  of  tlir  timt's,  (.Jod  in 
His  Providence  is  compelling  this  kind  of  toleration 
along  many  different  lines.  He  is  making  it  more 
impossible  every  day  that  any  one  branch  of  His 
Church  can  ever  again  dominate  the  world.  It  does 
not  seem  to  be  His  plan  that  any  one  denomination 
like  Aaron's  rod  should  ultimately  swallow  up  all 
the  rest.  God  is  working  out  a  wonderful  jn'oljlem 
for  His  Church  and  the  woi'ld  in  this  miii|ue  land  of 
ours,  and  one  result  will  be  the  discovery  of  what 
true  church  unity  is.  Men  will  learn  in  the  end 
that  spiritual  unity  is  the  divine  ideal,  and  this  has 
always  been  consistent  with  considerable  diversity. 
Long  ago  the  apostle  assured  us  that   "  there    are 


46  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY, 

differences  of  administrations,  but  the  same  Lord," 
and  when  the  Church  accepts  that  as  true,  the  dream 
of  outward  organic  unity  will  end. 

As  Christians  we  all  expect  a  brighter  day  to 
dawn  for  the  Church  of  God;  but  the  more  success- 
ful the  Church  is  and  the  larger  she  grows,  the  more 
absolutely  unwieldly  will  be  the  body  if  it  must  all 
be  compressed  into  one  outward,  visible  organiza- 
tion. For  one  I  do  not  believe  God  ever  intended 
anything  of  the  kind.  I  look  for  unity  in  diversity, 
and  the  American  Church  springing  from  many 
historical  germs  is  working  out  the  problem  for 
the  world. 

In  one  sense  the  Church  never  seemed  so  divided 
as  in  our  land,  but  the  division  is  more  seeming 
than  real.  In  many  cases  our  separate  organiza- 
tions are  little  more  than  a  division  of  the  labor  to 
be  done  for  the  kingdom  of  God,  We  do  not  repu- 
diate each  other.  We  do  not  war  against  each  other 
as  the  devil  is  constantly  asserting.  On  the  con- 
trary we  publish  it  from  every  pulpit  that  the  Church 
of  God  is  one.  We  show  it  in  all  our  union  work  ; 
we  confess  it  by  pulpit  exchanges  where  the  Church 
is  truly  reformed  ;  we  mingle  our  tears  and  prayers 
around  the  common  table  of  our  Lord,  and  then  rise 


HISTORICAL   SERMON.  47 

Up  and  tell  the  reviler  of  the  sacramental  host  oi 
God's  elect  that  all  Christians  are  one. 

4.  Another  lesson  which  God  has  been  teachin;j; 
impressively  in  our  times  is^that  He  has  the  control 
over  all  the  forces  of  nature,  and  all  the  hearts  of 
men  to  carry  out  His  own  plans. 

It  is  not  hard  for  theists  to  believe  that  1  lack  of 
all  the  stellar  worlds  and  behind  all  the  forces  of 
nature  there  is  a  first  great  Cause,  who  is  not  only 
unsearchable  in  His  judgments,  but  inscrutable  in 
His  ways  of  working.  Even  Matthew  Arnold  be- 
lieved that  this  world  is  so  organized  as  to  "  make 
for  righteousness."  But  the  thoughtful  Christian 
may  go  farther  than  this,  and  say  with  the  firmest 
conviction  of  faith, — "  All  things  work  together  for 
good  to  them  that  love  God." 

Those  who  believe  in  the  promises  of  divine  reve- 
lation expect  a  glorious  future  for  a  redeemed  world. 
There  is  an  optimism  of  faith  which,  with  a  divine 
warrant,  expects  this  poor,  sin-cursed  earth  to  be 
filled  with  the  knowledge  and  glory  of  God  as  the 
waters  cover  the  sea.  The  people  who  entertain 
such  high  hopes  are  not  surprised  when  they  find 
God  so  overruling  in  past  history  that  gunpowder 
is  discovered  when  it  is  necessary  to  put  the  serf  on 


48  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

an  equality  with  his  feudal  lord ;  and  the  mariner's 
compass  is  invented,  when  God  is  ready  to  have  the 
New  World  uncovered  as  an  asylum  for  His  perse- 
cuted Church ;  and  the  art  of  printing  is  exploited, 
when  He  means  to  have  His  Word  distributed  and 
studied  at  every  hearth-stone  ;  and  steam  navigation 
comes,  when  He  means  that  "  many  shall  run  to  and 
fro,  and  knowledge  shall  be  increased  ;"  and  new  ex- 
plosives of  more  deadly  power  are  discovered,  when 
He  intends  to  make  the  enginery  of  war  so  deadly 
that  even  the  greatest  war-captains  of  the  age  shall 
begin  to  cry  out  for  peace. 

Now  we  can  see  that  it  is  along  such  lines  as  these 
that  God  works  and  unfolds  His  plans.  In  all  this 
we  can  see  the  hand  of  God  in  the  past ;  but  the 
same  is  true  in  our  own  times.  Every  labor-saving 
machine,  every  economic  device,  every  crafty  inven- 
tion, every  scientific  discovery,  will  be  found  in  the 
end  to  hasten  on  the  blessed  day  of  Peace  which  God 
has  promised. 

It  is  hard  for  men  to  believe  it ;  Init  God  is  gov- 
erning the  world  on  a  prearranged  plan,  of  which 
He  is  the  author  and  the  finisher.  It  is  not  that 
man  is  left  with  nothing  to  do — quite  the  reverse. 
God's  plan  is  that  the  holy  temple  of  His  Church 


HISTORICAL   SERMON.  49 

shall  be  built  by  the  men  of  His  own  choice,  and 
that  the  work  shall  be  done  even  in  troublous  times, 
and  that  men  shall  have  the  privilege  of  carrying 
on  this  holy  enter})rise  with  grand  heroic  sacrifices, 
which  shall  give  them  fellowship  with  Christ  in  His 
suflerings.  Every  private  that  struggled  up  the 
hill  in  the  face  of  shot  and  shell  to  take  the  defences 
of  Santiago  last  Summer  had  the  consciousness  of 
comradeship  and  fellowship  with  the  Commander-in- 
Chief  of  all  our  armies.  And  so  it  is  in  the  con- 
quest of  this  world  for  Christ.  Every  private  in 
the  army  hears  the  gracious  words  of  his  great  Cap- 
tain assuring  him  "  Ye  are  My  friends,  if  ye  do 
whatsoever  I  command  you."  He  is  the  great  Cap- 
tain of  our  salvation,  and  all  His  true  followers  feel 
themselves  honored  to  be  called  by  His  name,  and 
they  would  go  to  the  death  for  Him. 

But  it  is  hard  for  men  to  believe  that  the  man 
who  allowed  himself  to  be  crucified  between  two 
thieves  now  sits  on  the  mediatorial  throne  of  the 
universe,  and  is  upholding  all  things  by  the  word  of 
His  power,  and  is  working  out  the  problems  of  re- 
demption according  to  the  counsel  of  His  own  will, 
and  that  His  kingdom  at  last  shall  fill  the  earth  and 
embrace  the  race. 


50  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

But  now  God  is  teaching  just  this  impressive  lesson 
to  those  who  have  ears  to  hear.  He  is  showing  us 
that  He  is  abundantly  able  to  take  care  of  His  own. 
He  assures  us  in  His  Word  that  He  is  overturning 
and  overturning  in  the  affairs  of  this  world  until  He 
shall  "  come  whose  right  it  is,"  and  then  ''  He  shall 
have  dominion  frem  sea  to  sea  and  from  the  river 
unto  the  ends  of  the  earth."  The  silver  and  the  gold 
are  His,  and  the  cattle  on  a  thousand  hills.  When 
they  are  needed  they  are  brought  and  laid  down  as 
tribute  at  His  feet.  The  doors  may  seem  shut  and 
bolted,  but  when  the  fullness  of  time  has  come  the 
doors  fly  open  wide  and  the  King  of  glory  marches 
in,  not,  indeed,  to  the  sound  of  drum  and  trumpet, 
for  His  kingdom  cometh  not  with  observation,  but 
in  the  person  of  His  humble  missionaries,  who  begin 
the  task  of  uplifting  the  lowliest,  knowing  that  if  we 
elevate  the  lowest  strata  of  society  we  shall  lift  it  all. 

Our  blessed  Lord  blamed  the  men  of  His  day  be- 
cause they  did  not  study  the  signs  of  the  times. 
God  forbid  that  we  should  fall  into  the  same  con- 
demnation !  We  must  not  only  study  the  Book  of 
Nature  and  the  Book  of  Providence,  but  the  Book 
of  Divine  Revelation,  to  know  what  God  has  in  store 
for  His  Church.     Let  us  be  careful  that  we  are  not 


HISTORICAL  SERMON.  51 

taken  by  surprise  as  were  His  people  of  old  when 
the  greatest  glory  of  their  race  "  suddenly  came  to 
Ilis  temple."  We  are  rapidly  sweeping  on  to  the 
consummation  of  all  things,  to  that 

"  One  far-off  divine  event, 
To  wliiih  the  whole  creation  moves  " 

May  the  Lord  open  our  eyes,  that  we  may  under- 
stand His  Word,  and  hear  Him  saying,  "  Can  ye  not 
discern  the  signs  of  the  times  ?" 


HISTORICAL  ADDRESS, 

CIVIL  LIBERTY  AND  PRESBYTERIANISM, 

BY 

JOHN  HAYS,  ESQ. 

The  invitation  to  address  you  came  with  the  right 
to  select  a  subject.  The  subject  should  accord  with 
the  purpose  of  these  services.  They  are  to  show 
our  appreciation  of  a  pastorate  over  this  Presbyte- 
rian church  for  nearly  the  one-half  of  its  sixty-six 
years  of  existence.  It  would  seem  appropriate, 
therefore,  to  consider,  from  a  Layman's  standpoint, 
some  of  the  great  steps  leading  up  to  the  Establish- 
ment of  Civil  and  Religious  Liljerty,  as  shown  by 
the  Form  of  Government  of  the  United  States  and 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  with  a  glance  at  any 
distinguishing  feature  in  this  Church,  its  Founders, 
and  its  local  prominence  and  influence. 

In  these  closing  years  of  the  nineteenth  century 
it  is  imjiossible  to  form  a  just  conce})tion  of  the  con- 
dition of  the  peo})le  at  the  time  Europe  began  to 


54  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

emerge  from  the  darkness  of  the  Middle  Ages.    One 
writer  says  of  it : 

"  It  shoukl  be  known  that  there  are  three  condi- 
"  tions  of  men  in  this  Avorkl :  the  first  is,  that  of 
"  gentlemen  ;  and  the  second  is,  that  of  such  as  are 
"  naturally  free,  being  born  of  a  free  mother ;  *  * 
"  *  *  the  third  estate  of  men  is,  that  of  such  as 
"  are  not  free  ;  and  these  are  not  all  of  one  condi- 
"  tion,  for  some  are  so  subject  to  their  lord  that  he 
"  may  take  all  they  have,  alive  or  dead,  and  im- 
"  prison  them  whenever  he  pleases,  being  account- 
"  able  to  none  but  God  ;  while  others  are  treated 
"  more  gently,  from  whom  their  lord  can  take  noth- 
"  ing  but  customary  payments,  though  at  their  death 
"  all  they  have  escheats  to  him"  (1). 

This  subjection  to  temporal  lords  was  bad  enough, 
but  there  was  another  which  was  far  worse.  It  em- 
braced all  three  of  the  classes  named,  and  it  was  the 
subjection  of  all  to  the  power  and  exactions  of  the 
so-called  Church  and  Ministers  of  God. 

A  writer  says  of  these  Ministers  of  God  : 

"  Practically  they  alone  baptized  and  married  peo- 
"  pie  (though  unmarried  themselves).     They  had  the 


(1)     Beaumenoir— as   quotecl  by  HaUam  in  "Middle  Ages," 
Vol.  1,  pp.  196-198  and  199. 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  55 

"  charge  of  men  on  their  death  beds  ;  they  alone 
"  buried,  and  could  refuse  christian  burial  in  the 
"  churchyards.  They  regulated  the  disposition  of 
"  the  goods  of  deceased  persons.  When  a  man 
"  made  a  will  it  had  to  be  proven  in  their  Eccle- 
"  siastical  Courts.  If  men  disputed  their  claims, 
"  doubted  their  teaching,  or  rebelled  from  their  doc- 
"  trines,  they  virtually  condemned  them  to  the 
"  stake,  by  handing  them  over  to  the  civil  power, 
"  which  acted  in  submission  to  their  dictates  (1). 

A  Catholic  writer  says  : 

"  I  see  that  we  can  scarcely  get  anything  from 
"Christ's  ministers  but  for  money;  at  baptism, 
"  money  ;  at  bishoping,  money  ;  at  marriage,  money  ; 
"  for  confession,  money  ; — no,  not  extreme  unction 
"  without  money.  They  will  ring  no  bells  without 
"  money  ;  so  that  itseemeth  that  Paradise  is  shut  up 
"  from  them  that  have  no  money.  The  rich  is  bur- 
"  ied  in  the  Church,  the  poor  in  the  churchyard. 
"  The  rich  man  may  marry  with  his  nearest  kin, 
"  but  the  poor  not  so,  albeit  he  be  ready  to  die  for 
"  love  of  her.  The  rich  may  eat  flesh  in  Lent  but 
"the   poor  may  not,  albeit  fish   perhaps    is    much 


(1).  V.  Seebohin,— "  The  Protestant  Kcvolution,"p.  9,  in"Epochs 
of  Modern  History." 


56  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

"  dearer.  The  rich  man  may  readily  get  large  in- 
"  dulgences,  but  the  poor  none,  because  he  wanteth 
"  money  to  pay  for  them."  (1). 

Still  another  writer  says  : 

"They  have  their  tenth  part  of  all  the  corn, 
"  meadows,  pasture,  grass,  wood,  colts,  calves,  lambs, 
"  Q-eese  and  chickens.     Over  and  besides  the  tenth 

o 

"  part  of  every  servant's  wages,  wool,  milk,  honey 
"  wax,  cheese  and  butter;  yea,  and  they  look  so  nar- 
"  rowly  after  their  profits  that  the  poor  wife  must 
"  be  countable  to  them  for  every  tenth  egg,  or  else 
"  she  geteth  not  her  rights  at  Easter,  and  shall  be 
"  taken  as  a  heretic."  (2). 

They  held  the  learning  and  the  learned  of  the 
world, — binding  unto  themselves  and  for  their  own 
purposes  those  who  were  not  of  their  own  number 
]>y  the  privileges  and  protection  accorded  them. 
Thus  they  required  that  criminals  against  the  law 
of  the  land,  who  could  read  and  write,  should  be 
turned  over  to  their  Ecclesiastical  Courts  where 
they  could  be  set  free  and  defy  the  law.     All  leam- 


(1)  .3uiui  De  Valdez  quoted  by  F.   Seebohm  in  "  The  Protest- 
ant Revolution,"  in  "Epochs  ot  Modern  History,"  p.  57-8. 

(2)  Quoted  by  F.   Seebohni   In    "The  Protestant  Revolution" 
in  "  Epochs  of  Moden\  History,"  p.  .58. 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  57 

ing,  including  the  Word  of  God,  was  covered  up  in 
the  Latin  language  that  the  people  might  not  com- 
prehend it.  (1). 

These  ecclesiastics  "  became  the  lawyers  and  dip- 
"  lomatists,  ambassadors,  Ministers,  chancellors  and 
even  prime  ministers  of  princes."  (2). 

A  long  line  of  Cardinal  Dukes  ruled  in  the  name 
of  Kings  and  Princes  over  almost  every  country  in 
Europe.  They  encouraged  their  nominal  masters, 
and  shared  in  their  sinful  pleasures,  in  defiance  of 
all  laws, — civil  or  religious.  They  oppressed  the 
people  and  waxed  mighty  in  wickedness. 

And  yet  from  this  cruel  oppression,  as  we  look 
back,  from  our  present  standjioint,  over  the  teeming 
years  as  thev  rolled  by,  it  seems  to  have  been  the 
<livine  purpose  to  lead  the  people  out  of  and  up  to  a 
Ilepublican  form  of  Government  in  the  State  and  in 
the  Church  as  surely  as  the  children  of  Israel  were 
led  out  of  the  oppression  of  Egypt  and  up  to  the 
promised  land. 

It  required  the  boldest  and  most  adventurous  of 
many  lands  to  form  the  admixture  known  as  the 


(1)  F.  Seebolnii  in  "  The  Protestant  Revolntion'"  in"  Epochs 
ot  Modern  History,"  pp.  Hand  12 

(2)  F.  Seebohni.in  "The  Protestant  Revohition  "  in  "  Epochs 
ot  Modern  History,"  p.  10. 


58  A  THIRTIETH  ANmVERSARY. 

Anglo-Saxon  race.  It  resulted  from  successive  con- 
quests, and  not  from  design  on  part  of  the  mixing 
elements.  The  oppression  of  the  people  was  like 
unto  a  grinding  between  the  upper  and  the  nether 
millstone.  To  the  Anglo-Saxons  it  was  intolerable. 
They  rebelled,  and  under  the  leadership  of  their 
Barons,  as  the  "  Army  of  God,"  (1)  they  wrested,  in 
1215,  from  their  King,  for  the  "community  of  the 
whole  land,"  "  Magna  Charta"  (2) — the  Great  Char- 
ter of  Liberty — whose  principles  are  today  embodied 
in  the  Constitution  and  laws  of  every  English- 
speaking  people,  and  furnish  sure  protection  in  the 
"  enjoyment  of  life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happi- 
ness." 

This  was  the  first  yreat  stej)  in  the  advance  to- 
wards Civil  Liberty. 

A  century  later — in  1315 — some  of  the  Swiss 
Cantons  successfully  rebelled  against  their  rulers, 
and  in  time  formed  a  confederacy  for  mutual  protec- 
tion, w^th  the  motto  inscribed  upon  its  flag,  "  Each 
for  all  and  all  for  each"  (3). 

It  seems  now  as  if  that  confederacy  had  been  ex- 


(1)  History  of  the  EngUsli  People -Green,  Vol.  I.  page  24.S. 

(2)  History  of  the  English  People— Green,  Vol.  1,  page  244. 

(3)  r.  Seebohm,  in  "  The  Protestant  Revolution'Mn  "  F.pochs 
of  Modem  History,  pp,  58  and  59. 


UrSTORICAL    ADDRESS.  59 

pressly  designed  as  a  future  liaven  of  refuge  for  the 
persecuted  and  exiled  Anglo-Saxon  reformers,  and 
where,  in  perfect  safety,  the  most  complete  "  Insti- 
tutes of  the  Christian  Religion  "  could  be  puVjlished 
to  the  world  (1). 

There  were  universities  throughout  Europe — some 
thirty  or  forty  of  them — in  more  or  less  close  con- 
nection with  each  other.  They  were  the  great  cen- 
tres of  the  learned  world  and  the  oldest  and  most 
celebrated  of  them  were  Oxford  and  Cambridge,  in 
England.  Students  passed  from  one  to  another, 
and  wherever  they  went,  carried  with  them  the  la- 
boriously written  books  considered  new  and  import- 
ant (2).  But  the  learning  and  the  books  were  in 
Latin.  The  scholars  were  controled  by  the  Eccle- 
siastics. They  were  bound  to  them  by  self  interest. 
Yet  in  little  more  than  half  a  century  after  the 
haven  of  refuge  had  been  provided  for  in  Switzer- 
land, an  honest,  learned  and  fearless  man,  who  had 
passed  through  the  University  of  Oxford,  had  be- 
come a  Professor  of  Theology  and  was  there  lectur- 
ing to  and  writing:  for  thousands  of  students. 


(1)  Geneva  did  not  come  into  the  confederacy  until  181.5  but 
achieved  freedom  in  1530. 

(2)  F.  Seebohm,  in  "The  Protestant  Revolution"  in  "Epochs 
of  Modem  History,"  pp.  13  and  14. 


60  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

He  was,  as  a  late  writer  says,  "  the  first  Reformer 
"  who  dared,  when  deserted  and  alone,  to  question 
"  and  deny  the  creed  of  the  Christendom  around  him, 
"  to  break  through  the  tradition  of  the  past,  and 
"  with  his  last  breath,  to  assert  the  freedom  of  relig- 
"  ious  thought  against  the  dogmas  of  the  Papacy.(l). 

His  students  carried  his  teachings  and  his  writ- 
ings, in  Latin,  of  course,  to  other  Universities  in 
Europe.  Their  doctrine  was  unknown  and  astound- 
ing to  the  Ecclesiastics  of  those  days.  They  were 
subversive  of  their  power  over  the  people,  and  opened 
the  way  for  a  religion  of  the  heart  and  conscience. 
The  better  to  reach  the  people,  he  threw  aside  the 
Latin  language  and  taught  and  wrote  in  the  Mid- 
land dialect  of  England.  He  set  on  foot  a  body  of 
poor  Preachers,  called  "  Simple  Priests,"  whose  com- 
mon dress,  bare  feet  and  coarse  sermons  accom- 
plished a  work  that  no  other  means  could  have 
effected  (2). 

To  some  extent,  perhaps,  the  "  Peasants'  Revolt," 
under  Wat.  Tyler  in  1381,  is  attributable  to  their 
teachings.  Terribly  suppressed  as  it  was  after  a 
promise  to  comply  with  the  demands  made,  yet  it 


(1)  '•  Uistoiy  ol  the  EngUsh  People,"  Greeii-Vol.  l.p.  446. 

(2)  "  History  of  the  English  Feople,"  Green— Vol.  1,  p.  474. 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  61 

accomplished  its  purpose,  for  slavery  of  English  peo- 
ple quietly  died  away  (1). 

Certain  it  is,  however,  that  the  teachings  of  this 
Doctor  of  Theology  and  his  "  Simple  Priests,"  pro- 
duced the  ''  Lollards "  as  they  were  derisively 
called,  who,  as  Hallam  says,  "  aided  by  the  conflu- 
"  ence  of  foreio-n  streams,  swelled  into  the  Protest- 
"  ant  Church  of  England."  (2) 

As  life  drew  to  its  close,  an  earlier  translation  of 
the  Bible,  made  with  the  assistance  of  one  of  his 
scholars,  was  revised.  Numerous  copies  of  it  were 
written  and  distributed.  Chaucer,  his  friend  and 
contemporary,  the  father  of  English  Poetry,  wrote 
in  the  same  dialect.  "  These  two,"  as  a  modern 
writer  says,  "  little  knew  that  they  were  laying  the 
"foundations,  as  it  were,  of  the  strongest  and  most 
"  vigorous  language  ever  used  by  human  beings  for 
"  the  expression  of  their  thoughts,  but  it  has  become 
"  the  English  language  of  the  nineteenth  century, — 
"  the  language  of  liberty."  (3) 

With  his  life  work  done,  this  Doctor  of  Theology, 
— John  WycklifF, — was,  in  1384,  laid  away  in  the 


( 1)  "History  of  the  En<?Hsh  People,"  Green— Vol.  l   p.  486. 

(2)  HaUam's  "Constitutional  History  of  England,"  vol.  i  page 

ro. 

(3)  Coffin's  "Story  ol  Liberty,"  page  .54. 


62  A  THIRTIETH  A^^NIVERSARY. 

grave,  and  the  first  great  step  towards  relig- 
ious FREEDOM  had  been  taken.  The  people  had 
gotten  hold  of  the  truth  and  the  learning  of  the 
Universities  was  thenceforth  to  be  used  for  their 
good  and  to  the  glory  of  God,  Yet,  in  childish 
spite,  the  maddened  Ecclesiastics,  forty-four  years 
after  the  death  of  WyckliiF,  dug  up  his  bones,  burned 
them  and  cast  the  ashes  upon  a  stream  running 
down  to  the  sea,  as  if  in  that  way  they  could  drow]i 
out  the  everlasting  truths  he  taught. 

Events  after  Wyckliff's  death,  in  the  opening  out 
of  the  advance  towards  republicanism  in  Church  and 
State,  followed  each  other  in  rapid  succession,  John 
Huss,  in  far-off  Bohemia,  was  then  only  eleven  years 
old.  He  became  a  learned  scholar  in  Theology,  an 
eloquent  preacher,  and  a  prolific  writer.  Thoroughly 
conversant  with  the  teachings  of  Wyckliff,  he  not 
only  believed  them,  but  gave  publicity  to  their  doc- 
trines in  his  writings  and  sermons.  He  ranged 
himself  on  the  side  of  truth,  and  because  he  would 
not  yield  up  the  faith  that  was  in  him  he  was  burned 
at  the  stake  in  1415.  Jerome,  but  little  younger 
than  Huss,  distributed  throughout^Bohemia  Wyck- 
liff's  writings,  bece^me  the  friend  and  follower  of 
Huss,   and  in  1416,  like  him,  was   burned   at   the 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  63 

stake.  A  crusade  was  proclaimed  against  their  ibl- 
lov/ers,  and  from  that  crusade,  as  Motley  says  (1), 
"  Many  Netherlanders  came  back,  feeling  more  sym- 
pathy with  the  heresy  which  they  had  attacked  than 
with  the  Church  for  which  they  battled." 

The  sympathy  thus  brought  back  from  Bohemi:i 
prepared  the  Dutch  to  receive  the  truth  gladly,  and 
to  hold  fast  to  it  throughout  the  butchery  they  were 
to  be  subjected  to.  What  is  true  of  the  Dutch  is 
true  also  to  some  extent  of  the  French  and  Germans. 
The  seed  that  Wyckliff  sowed  was  swelling  into  life 
and  growth. 

Thus  the  "  Simple  Priests"— Wyckliff  's  publish- 
ers— and  the  followers  of  Huss  were  circulating 
the  new  doctrines  and  scriptural  knowledge  in  the 
West  and  in  the  East.  Intolerance  and  persecution 
were  given  a  new  impetus.  Prior  to  that  time  they 
had  nothing  to  feed  u})on  1)ut  the  handful  of  Wal- 
denses,  whose  faith  with  themselves  was  locked  up 
in  the  northern  mountains  of  Italy.  But  now  the 
income  of  the  ecclesiastics,  as  well  as  their  power, 
was  threatened.  True,  they  had,  as  it  is  said,  one- 
third  of  all  tlie  lands,  and  their  revenues  were 
princely,  apart  from  the  tithes  given  them  by  law. 


(1)  The  Dutch  Republic,  Nol.  1,  page  71  — Iiitroductioii. 


64  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

and  the  donations  extorted  tlirough  fear,  but  if  these 
pernicious  doctrines  prevailed,  there  would  be  an 
end  to  revenue  from  selling  indulgences,  from  bap- 
tism, marriage,  confession,  death,  burial,  prayers  for 
the  dead,  and  the  numerous  sources  of  income  to  the 
crowds  of  minor  ecclesiastics — there  would  be  an  end 
to  their  ownership  of  human  souls. 

Judgment  was  therefore  passed  upon  the  holders 
of  the  new  doctrines.  They  were  adjudged  to  be 
heretics — enemies  of  God  and  man — and  sentenced 
to  death  in  all  the  horrible  ways  that  cruel  ingenuity 
^ould  devise.  Fiercely  and  brutally  that  sentence 
was  carried  out  against  the  Lollards,  the  Hussites, 
and  those  who  followed  after  them.  History  is 
blood-red  with  details  of  it. 

But  the  publishers  and  the  laboriously  written 
books  of  that  day  were  inadequate.  Then,  as  al- 
ways, the  needed  instrument  in  the  Lord's  work 
was  provided.  In  1423, — eight  years  after  John 
Huss  was  burned  and  before  the  ashes  of  WycklifF's 
bones  were  cast  upon  the  water, — Lawrens  Coster, 
of  Haarlem,  carved  letters  upon  wood,  tied  them 
together  in  words  and  printed  from  them.  (1)  Jo- 
hann  Gutenburg,  a  workman,  is  said  to  have  derived 


(1)  Coflan's  "Story  of  Liberty,"  p.  70. 


HISTORICAL   ADDEESS.  65 

his  idea  from  these  wooden  letters  and  experiment- 
ing with  them,  after  some  years,  with  help  from 
Johann  Faust,  perfected  a  metal  and  mould  for  type 
in  1450  (1).  Six  years  thereafter  "he  completed 
"  the  printing  of  the  Bible  in  Latin"  (2).  It  was  for 
the  learned  and  the  learned  used  it.  The  instru- 
ment was  provided  and  the  second  great  step,  in 

THE  UPWARD  ADVANCE,  TOWARDS  CIVIL  AND  RELIG- 
IOUS LIBERTY,  had  been  taken." 

But  the  little  haven  of  refuge  in  the  mountains  of 
Switzerland,  designed,  as  it  se.ems,  for  some  future 
leaders,  will  never  answer  for  the  hosts  to  follow 
their  leadership,  and  a  place  must  be  found  where 
the  coming  army  of  people  can  find  a  refuge,  and 
wdiere  great  problems  can  be  worked  out  and  their 
principles  applied.  Accordingly,  Christopher  Colum- 
bus, with  his  three  little  vessels,  sailed  westward,  to 
go  to  the  east,  and  found  an  unknown  continent. 
Others,  like  Cabot,  Vespucci  and  Hudson,  followed 
his  course,  and  some  dim  knowledge  was  gained  of 
this  western  land.  It  seems  now  as  if  it  had  been 
concealed  from  the  world  until  the  time  should  come 


(1)  Coffin's  "Story  of  Liberty,"!).  73. 
(2)  American  Encyclopedia,  Applcton,  Vol.  13,  p.  846,  second 
column. 


66  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

for  the  establishment  of  a  new  order  in  civil  and  re- 
ligious government. 

The  THIRD  GREAT  STEP  HAD  BEEN  TAKEN.  A 
REFUGE  FOR  THE  OPPRESSED  OF  EVERY  CLIME  HAD 
BEEN  PROVIDED. 

And  now  the  world  had  come  to  the  sixteenth 
century — a  century  crowded  with  events  of  the  ut- 
most importance  to  the  human  race.  Time  forbids 
more  than  a  most  rapid  sunima-ry.  Gutenberg's 
Bible  had  done  its  work.  The  learned  knew  it,  and 
the  time  had  come  fgr  them  to  use  it.  Then  how 
those  learned  Bible  students  went  trooping  to  the 
front  to  lead  the  advance !  There,  in  the  forefront, 
were  Tyndale  and  Coverdale,  Luther  and  Melanc- 
thon,  Zwingle  and  Gustavus  Vasa  (1),  Calvin  and 
Knox,  all  born  within  the  short  space  of  twenty-six 
years,  ending  with  the  year  1509.  The  youngest 
was  John  Calvin,  and  next  to  him  stood  John  Knox, 
and  these  two  were  the  last  to  lay  down  their  arms 


(1)  Gustavus  Vasa  is  put  in  this  list  because,  while  in  Lubeck 
for  six  months,  he  heard  Luther  preach,  corresponded  with  him, 
and  then,  after  he  became  King  of  Sweden,  had  the  Lutheran 
adopted  as  the  State  Religion.  He  was  instrumental  in  bringing 
over  to  Protestantism  the  Scandinavian  countries.  Hisgrandson, 
Gustavus  Adolphus— the  Lion  of  the  North  -became  the  great 
Protestant  Leader  in  the  Thirty  Years'  War. 

American  Encyclopedia -Appleton,  Vol.  8,  p.  339,  2d  column 
American  Encyclopedia— Appleton,  Vol.  8,  p.  340. 


HISTORICAL   ADDRESS.  67 

and  report  in  person  to  their  great  Captain — the  one 
in  1568  and  the  other  in  1572 — the  great  fight  they 
liad  made. 

The  Bible  was  translated  into  English,  into  Ger- 
man, Helvetian,  French,  Swedish,  Danish,  Dutch, 
Italian,  Spanish,  Russian,  Welsh,  Hungarian,  Ice- 
landic, Polish  and  Bohemian  (1),  and  edition  after 
edition  was  printed  and  greedily  sought  after. 
Catechisms,  Confessions  of  Faith,  Ptules  of  Discipline, 
Principles  of  Theology  and  Institutes  of  the  Chris- 
tian Religion  were  formulated,  published  and  used. 
Congregations  were  gathered.  Churches  were  built 
and  sermons  were  preached  daily,  even  to  the  hun- 
dreds of  refugees  who  had  fled  from  England  to  the 
safe  haven  in  the  Swiss  Mountains  (2). 

The  young  were  taught  in  schools  and  the  more 
advanced  in  academies,  where  they  were  trained  in 
theology  and  to  preach  the  gospel  (3).  Systems  of 
Church  Government — one  based  "  on  the  civil  power 
of  the  Prince;"  the  other  "on  the  republican  basis 
of  the  congregation  ;" — the  Lutheran  and  the  Cal- 
vinistic — were  introduced  (4). 


(1)  ZeU's  Encyclopecli.i,  Vol.  1 ,  p  305. 

(2)  "  Life  of  John  Knox"— McCrie's  Abridged,  1839,  p.  80 

(3)  -'The  Protestant  Revolution"— Seebobni,  p.  198. 

(4)  "  The  Protestant  Revolution"— Seebohm,  p.  197    "  Life  of 
John  Knox,"  p.  161. 


68  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

Tlien  througli  the  Highlands  and  the  Lowhinds  of 
Scotland  went  the  ringing  declaration  of  John  Knox, 
'■'■  who  never  feared  the  face  of  7nan:"  Pbulers  mi/si 
govern  according  to  laws  the  people  have  consented 
to,  and,  failing  in  this,  they  must  be  tried  and  pun- 
ished, even  with  death  if  their  crimes  require  it  (1) 
— (a  principle  afterwards  embodied  in  our  Declara- 
tion of  Independence). 

And  throughout  those  Highlands  and  Lowlands 
he  established  Congregations,  Presbyteries,  Synods, 
and,  over  all,  a  General  Assembly,  which  first  met 
in  1560,  and  in  1567  the  Parliament  made  this  re- 
publican form  of  Church  Government — Presbyterian 
— the  established  Church  of  Scotland  (2). 

Meanwhile,  that  free  lance  among  Kings — Henry 
VIII.  of  England — unable  to  longer  use  for  his  own 
selfish  purposes  the  Koman  Catholic  Church  he  had 
served  so  well  as  to  be  called  "  Defender  of  the 
Faith,"  defied  and  cast  off"  its  supremacy,  and  had 
himself  declared  head  of  the  Church  in  England. 
With  the  aid  of  able  and  learned  men,  its  govern- 
ment, faith  and  form  of  worship  were  modified  and 


(1)  "Life  of  John  Knox"— McOrie's   Abridged,  pp.  148  and 
218. 

(2)  "Life  of  John  Knox"— McCrie's  Abridged,  p.  219. 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  69 

reformed,  and  the  Established  Church  of  England 
took  its  place  among  the  Protestant  Churches  of  the 
world. 

Meanwhile,  too,  a  German  army,  composed  mainly 
of  Lutherans,  at  the  call  of  the  Emperor  Charles  V., 
crossed  the  Alps,  joined  the  Spanish  troops  of  the 
Emperor,  and  marched  upon  Rome.  That  city  was 
taken  and  sacked,  almost  as  the  Goths  and  Vandals 
had  sacked  it  a  thousand  years  before.  In  contempt 
for  the  ecclesiastics,  by  whom  they  had  been  op- 
pressed so  long,  the  Germans  stabled  their  horses  in 
the  church  of  St.  Peter  until  it  was  full,  and 
it  was  sure  death  ibr  an  ecclesiastic  to  appear  on 
the  streets  unless  disguised  as  a  soldier  (1). 

Amid  dire  persecutions  and  slaughterings,  the 
century  drew  to  a  close.  But,  "  Rome  had  forever 
ceased  to  be  the  capital  of  Christendom"  (2).  "  The 
principle  of  the  old  Roman  civilization — the  good  of 
the  few  at  the  expense  of  the  many" — had  been  ex- 
changed for  "  Christian  civilization,  whose  aim  is  to 
attain  the  highest  good  for  the  whole  community" 
(3).     To  this  civilization  the   nations  of  Teutonic 


(1)  "The  FrotestantHevolution"— Seebohm,  pp.  154andir>5. 

(2)  "The  Protestant  Revolution"— Seebobin,  pp.  164  and  ift6. 

(3)  "  The  Protestant  Kevolution"— Seebohni,  p.  278. 


70  A  THIETIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

origin — Germany,  Switzerland,  Denmark,  Sweden, 
England,  Scotland  and  the  Netherlands — had  given 
their  adherence,  while  the  nations  of  Latin  origin 
"  remained  in  allegiance  to  the  Pope"  (1). 

The  FOURTH  GREAT  STEP  HAD  BEEN  IRRESISTIBLY 

TAKEN.  A  religion  of  the  heart  and  conscience, 
based  upon  the  Bible,  had  been  established,  and  a 
foundation  for  republicanism  in  Church  and  State 
had  been  securely  laid. 

And  how  that  work  was  consecrated  !  The  blood 
of  hundreds  of  thousands  of  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren— infants  even — burned  at  the  stake  and  in  fur- 
naces, flayed  alive,  buried  alive,  impaled,  torn  to 
pieces  on  the  racks  of  the  Inquisition,  killed  in  the 
heat  of  battle  or  butchered  by  frenzied  cruelty,  so 
consecrated  it  that  freedom  of  religious  thought  can 
never  "perish  from  off  the  earth." 

Do  you  wonder  that  the  people  fled  from  such  per- 
secution ?  Do  you  wonder  that,  in  the  providence 
of  God,  this  continent  was  held,  undiscovered,  until 
required  as  the  place  to  which  the  persecuted  could 
flee  ?  And  the  persecuted  for  Christ's  sake  fled  to 
it  all  through  the  seventeenth  and  a  great  part  of 
the  eighteenth  centuries.     They  sailed  over  unknown 


(1)  "  The  Protestant  Revolution"— Seebohin,  p.  158. 


HISTORICAL   ADDRESS.  71 

waters,  to  unknown  clangors,  in  an  unknown  world. 
They  sailed  from  Switzerland,  from  France,  from 
Germany,  from  the  Netherlands,  from  Sweden,  Irom 
England,  from  Scotland  and  from  the  north  of  Ire- 
land, and  they  carried  with  them  their  Bibles,  Cate- 
chisms and  ideas  of  Church  government.  They 
settled  along  our  sea-coast,  from  Maine  to  Georgia, 
and  formed  governments  of  themselves,  for  them- 
selves and  bv  themselves.  Their  ideas  grew  and 
expanded,  and  voluntarily  blending  themselves  to- 
gether, after  the  manner  of  the  forceful  commingling 
that  made  the  Anglo-Saxons,  they  became  strong 
and  self-reliant,  awaiting  the  fullness  of  time,  when 
necessity  should  weld  them  into  a  new  nation  on  the 
order  of  the  Anglo-Saxons,  v,-ith  their  language,  their 
laws  and  their  best  characteristics. 

But  there  was  work  yet  to  be  done  in  the  lands 
whence  these  people  had  fled,  and  it  was  done. 

In  1603,  James  the  Sixth.  King  of  Scotland,  b(^- 
came  James  the  First,  King  of  England.  (3n  Jan. 
14,  1604,  he  "  summoned  the  leading  Puritan  Min- 
isters to  meet  him  at  Hampton  Court,  in  the  pres- 
ence of  the  principal  Bishops,  in  order  that  he  might 
learn  what  ecclesia.'^tical  changes  were  desired  bv 


72  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

the  Puritans"  (1).  Very  little  resulted  from  the 
conference  beyond  the  action  taken  by  the  King,  on 
a  suggestion  of  Dr.  Reynolds,  of  Oxford,  who  was 
considered  "  nearly,  if  not  altogether,  the  most 
learned  man  in  England"  (2).  That  was  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  large  number  of  divines  to  revise  the 
English  translation  of  the  Bible,  and  to  publish  an 
authorized  version.  The  work  began  in  1606  and 
appeared  in  1611.     Of  it  a  modern  writer  says  : 

''  The  simplicity,  terseness  and  power  of  the  Eng- 
"  lish  version,  to  which  the  taste  of  England,  after 
''  frequent  wanderings,  again  and  again  returns  as 
"  to  its  best  classical  model,  we  owe,  and  this  should 
"  not  be  forgotten,  to  the  poor,  persecuted,  but  noble- 
"  minded,  English  reformer,  William  Tyndale,  who 
"  in  his  English  New  Testament  set  a  type  which 
"  others  in  completing  the  whole  Bible  loyally  fol- 
''  lowed." 

Charles  the  First  succeeded  his  father,  James  the 
First,  in  1625.  The  Stuarts  believed  in  the  "  di- 
vine right  of  Kings."     They  therefore  insisted  upon 


(1)  "  The  Puritan  Revolution"— Gardiner,  in  "  Epoclis  of  Mod- 
ern History,"  p.  12. 

(2)  "  The  Constitutional  History  ot  England"— Hallam.    Vol. 
J,  p.  294,  Note  3. 

"  The  Westminster  Assemhly"— Mitchell,  p.  69. 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  ( •) 

autocratic  rule.  Civil  lil)erty  had  taken  a  strong 
hold  upon  the  English  people,  and  was  growing. 
A  friction,  therefore,  that  became  acute,  occurred 
between  King  and  Parliament.  The  necessities  of 
the  King  rendered  the  assem])ling  of  Pai'liament 
necessary,  and  on  Nov.  3,  1(340,  the  Long  Parlia- 
ment met  at  Westminster  (1).  The  struggle  for 
supremacy  began.  There  was  a  great  desire  for 
further  religious  reform,  and,  to  appease  it,  the 
King,  on  Feb.  14,  1G41,  referred  the  reform  of  the 
government  and  liturgy  of  the  Church  to  the  wis- 
dom of  Parliament,  which  he  desired  "  th<Mn  to  enter 
into  speedily"  (2). 

By  June  1,  1642,  Parliament  i)assed  an  act  re- 
ferring the  subject  to  an  assembly  composed  of 
Peers,  Members  of  the  Commons,  and  Divines,  l)Ut 
the  King  would  not  approve  it.  A  second  and  a 
third  shared  the  same  fate  and  then  on  June  12, 
1643,  it  was  passed  as  an  ordinance  not  requiring 
the  King's  approval  (3).  It  recited  that  Parlia- 
ment had  declared  the  Church  Government  to  be 
evil    and    offensive   and   that  such  a  n;overnment  as 


(1)  "  The  Puritan  Revolution'"— Uaidiuer,  in  "  Epochs  of  Mod- 
em History,"  p.  110. 

('2)  "The  Westminster  Assembly"— Mitchell,  p.  107- 

(3)  "The  Westminster  Assembly,"— Mitchell,  pp.  108  and  ill- 


74  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY, 

may  be  "  most  agreeable  to  God's  holy  word  and 
nearer  agreement  with  the  Church  of  Scotland  and 
other  reformed  churches  abroad  "  shall  be  settled, 
and  empowered  the  assembly  to  confer  upon  such 
matters  concerning  the  Liturgy,  Discipline  and  Govr 
ernment  of  the  Church  of  England  or  the  doctrine 
of  the  same,  as  might  be  proposed  by  either  House 
of  Parliament  (1).  The  assembly  was  to  meet  July 
1,  1643  (2).  About  June  22,  1643,  the  King  pro- 
hibited the  meeting  by  proclamation  (3).  It  met, 
however,  at  the  time  named  and  met  nearly  twelve 
hundred  times  thereafter,  and  of  the  members  named 
for  the  Assembly,  the  records  show  that  nine  Peers, 
twenty-five  members  of  the  Commons,  and  one  hun- 
dred and  eight  Divines  were  present  at  different 
times  and  composed  the  great  Westminster  Assem- 
bly. It  reported  a  form  of  Church  Government 
which  never  received  the  sanction  of  Parliament  (4), 
though  some  portions  of  it  were  passed,  in  1645,  by 
the  General  Assembly  of  the  Scottish  Church  and 
approved,  but  not  ordained  to  be  observed,  by  the 
Scottish  Parliament. 


(1)  "The  Westminstei-  Assembly'"— MitcheU,  Ordinance,  pp. 
IX  and  X. 

(2)  "The  Westminster  Assembly"— MiteheU,  p,  128. 

(3)  "The  Westminster  Assembly"— Mitchell,  p.  129. 

(4)  "  The  Westminster  Assembly"— Mitchell,  p.  264. 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  75 

On  Dec.  14,  1646,  the  Confession  of  Faith  was 
finished  and  reported  to  Parliament,  and  again,  on 
April  29,  1647,  with  Scripture  proofs  added.  (1). 
With  the  exception  of  Chapters  XXX.  and  XXXI., 
and  portions  of  Chapters  XX.  and  XXIV.,  it  was 
approved  by  the  Parliament. 

The  larger  Catechism,  suhstantially  as  it  is  now, 
was  reported  Ly  the  x\sscml)ly  to  Parliivment  on  Oct. 
22,  1647.  It  was  never  approved  by  Parliament, 
but  it  passed  the  Scottish  General  iVssembly  on  July 
20,  1648  (2). 

The  shorter  Catechism,  with  proofs,  was  reported 
April  16,  1648 ;  approved  by  both  Houses  of  Par- 
liament by  Sept.  25,  1648 ;  by  the  Scottish  General 
Assembly  on  July  28,  1648,  and,  with  the  Larger 
Catechism,  ratified  Ity  the  Scottish  Parliament  on 
Feb.  7,  1649  (3). 

That  shorter  Catechism,  taken  regularly,  makes 
the  young  grow  into  strong  men  and  women.  It 
never  loses  its  power,  however  bad  the  patient  may 
grow.  In  the  system  once,  it  stays  for  life,  and, 
though  it  may  fail  of  a  cure,  still  it    checks    the 


(I)  "The  Westminster  A.sscmljly"—>Jitchen,  p.  307- 
(•2)  "The  Westminster  Assembly"— MitcheU,  p.  t?5. 
(3)   "The  Westminster  Assembly'— MitcheU,  p.  43». 


76  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

course  of  sin  at  every  stage  of  the  disease.     Car- 
lyle  said  of  it : 

"  The  older  I  grow — and  I  now  stand  upon  the 
hrink  of  eternity — the  more  comes  back  to  me  the 
first  sentence  in  the  Catechism,  which  I  learned 
when  a  child,  and  the  fuller  and  deeper  its  meaning 
becomes  :  What  is  the  chief  end  of  man  ?  To  glo- 
rify God  and  enjoy  Him  forever"  (1). 

The  fifth  great  step  had  been  taken.  With 
a  complete  translation  of  the  Bible,  a  Confession  of 
Faith,  a  perfect  Catechism,  and  a  thoroughly-con- 
sidered Form  of  Government  submitted,  Presbyte- 
rianism  was  ready  for  further  advance. 

The  Haven  of  Refuge  on  this  Continent,  however, 
was  in  danger  of  being  lost.  A  Latin  race — the 
French — had  numerous  settlements  on  the  St.  Law- 
rence in  Canada,  a  line  of  strong  forts  on  the  river 
and  on  the  great  lakes,  Fort  Duquesne  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, where  Pittsburg  is  now,  and  strong  positions 
on  the  New  York  lakes.  They  had  made  allies  of 
the  Indians,  were  ably  commanded,  and  were  ex- 
tending their  possessions  down  the  Ohio  and  the 
Mississippi.  They  were  warring  with  the  Colonies, 
and  the  English  Government  was  weak.     England 


(1)  Quoted  in  "The  Westminster  Assembly"— MitcheU,  p.  44  (• 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  I  I 

was  losing  ground  everywhere,  when  William  Pitt 
— afterwards  the  great  Earl  of  Chatham — said  to 
the  Duke  of  Devonshire  :  "  My  Lord,  I  am  sure  that 
I  can  save  this  country,  and  that  nohody  (^Ise  can" 
(1).  He  was  given  "  supreme  direction  of  the  war 
and  of  foreign  affairs"  (2).  In  1758,  he  made  a 
treaty  with  Frederick  the  Great,  one  item  of  which 
was  the  payment  to  Frederick  of  a  subsidy  of 
£670,000  a  year  (3).  This  was  to  enable  Frederick 
the  Great  to  keep  the  French  forces  engaged  in 
Europe  so  that  the  English  might  gain  control  on 
this  continent.  The  subsidy  was  paid  for  three 
years,  and  aggregated  about  $10,000,000.  The 
colonial  forces  ably  supported  the  English  soldiers. 
Louisburg  fell,  then  Ticonderoga,  then  Niagara  and 
then  Quebec.  By  1760  "  the  whole  province  of 
Canada  was  subjugated"  (4).  The  French  retired, 
and,  with  this  Continent  preserved  for  the  Anglo- 
Saxons,  THE  SIXTH  GREAT  STEP  WAS  TAKEN. 

This  brings  us  to  Presbyterianism  in  this  coun- 
try.    Mr.  Justice  Kennedy,  of  the   Su])reme  Court 


(1)  •'  MacauUiy's  Essays,"  Vol.  2,  p.  75. 

(2)  "  Macaulay's  Essays,"  VoL  2,  p,  75. 

(3)  "Frederick  the  Great"— Longman,  in  "Epoclis  ot   Slodern 
Ilistory,"  p.  140. 

(1)  "Macaiilays  Essays,"  Vol.  2,  pp.  IS  and  7!). 


iQ  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

of  Pennsylvania,  in  an  opinion  filed  in  Presbyterian 
Congregation  vs.  Johnson,  in  May,  1841,  and  re- 
ported in  1st.  "Watts. &  Sergeant's  Keports,  pp.  51 
and  52,  gives  the  following  short  history  of  it : 

"  The  first  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
"States  consisted  of  a  single  congregation,  formed 
*'  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  about  the  year  1700, 
'■  which  is  known  now  by  the  name  of  the  First 
"  Presbyterian  Church  in  that  city.  Increasing, 
"  however,  in  number  and  strength,  several  congre- 
"  gations  were  formed  shortly  afterwards.  In  1704 
"  the  first  Presbytery  was  organized  ;  and  in  1716 
"  the  first  Synod  consisting  of  four  Presbyteries.  It 
"  was  called  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia ;  but  in  1741 
"  a  division  took  place,  which  gave  rise  to  a  second, 
"  called  the  Synod  of  New  York.  In  1758,  however, 
"  these  Synods  became  united  again  under  the  title 
"  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  and 
"  governed  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United 
"  States  until  1788,  when  the  Presbyterians  having 
"  increased  greatly  in  number,  and  being  dispersed 
"  over  a  great  extent  of  territory,  it  was  deemed 
"  expedient,  in  order  to  promote  and  preserve  purity 
"  and  prevent  error  from  creeping  into  the  Church, 
"  to  increase  the  number  of  Synods,  and  to  establish 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  79 

"a  General  Assembly  in  imitation  of  that  estalj- 
"  lislied  by  the  Church  of  Scotland  under  the  West- 
"  minster  Confession  of  Faith,  invested  with  execu- 
"  tive,  legislative  and  judicial  power  over  the  whole 
"church.  The  form  of  Government  adopted  l)y  the 
"  Church  of  Scotland  and  given  in  Westminster 
"  Confession  of  Faith,  was  ever  looked  to  by  the 
"  Presbyterians  in  the  United  States  as  their  guide 
"and  was  followed  and  adopted  by  them,  with  the 
"exception  as  to  the  power  given  to  the  Civil  Mag- 
"  istrate  in  matters  of  religion,  from  time  to  time, 
"  as  their  numbers  increased  and  rendered  it  expe- 
"  dient,  if  not  necessary,  to  do  so.  They  began  first 
''  by  forming  themselves  into  a  single  congregation  ; 
"  next  into  a  Presbytery,  as  soon  as  the  requisite 
"  number  of  congregations  were  formed  to  compose 
"it.  Then,  as  the  number  of  Presbyteries  was  in- 
" creased, a  Synod  was  organized;  after  that  several 
"  particular  Synods  and  ultimately  the  General  As- 
"  sembly,  or  what  in  other  words  may  be  called  the 
"National  Synod." 

It  is  generally  conceded,  however,  that  Presbyte- 
rianism  had  an  earlier  date  in  the  United  States 
than  Judge  Kennedy  assigne<l  to  it. 


80  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

The  Eev.  J.  E.  Rockwell  in  1854  wrote  : 

"  About  the  year  1690,  Francis  Makemie,  from 
"  the  north  of  Ireland,  and  John  Hampton,  from 
"  Scotland,  who  were  laboring  as  Missionaries  on 
"  behalf  of  a  Society  in  London,  succeeded  in  organ- 
"  izing  Churches  after  the  Scottish  model  in  the 
"  eastern  part  of  Maryland,  A  company  of  Scotch 
"  emigrants  also  were  organized  as  a  Church  at  the 
"  same  time,  who  came  in  a  body  to  this  country 
"with  their  pastor,  Rev.  Nathaniel  Taylor,  and  set- 
"  tied  in  Upper  Marlborough. 

"  The  Churches  of  Snowhill,  Rehoboth,  Monokin 
"  and  Wicomico  were  formed  by  Mr.  Makemie, 
"whose  name  and  memory  are  still  cherished  as  an 
"  able  and  devoted  servant  and  minister  of  Christ. 

"  In  1698,  the  first  Presbyterian  Church  of  Phil- 
"  adelphia  was  formed  by  a  number  of  English, 
"  Welsh  and  French  Protestants,  who  united  under 
"  the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Mr.  Andrews,  of  Boston" 

Gabriel  Thomas,  who  came  in  1681,  on  the  first 
ship  that  was  bound  from  England  for  this  country 
after  it  was  called  Pennsylvania,  and  who  lived  here 
for  fifteen  years,  wrote,  in  1697,  "  An  Historical  and 


() )  "  Sketches  of  the  Presbyterian  Chnrch"'— RockweU,  p.  225. 


HISTORICAL   ADDEESS.  81 

"  Geographical  Account  of  the  Province  and  Coun- 
"  try  of  Pennsylvania  and  of  West  New  Jersey 
"in  America,"  which  was  published  in  London  in 
1698.  He  says  :  "  But  it  remained  with  very  little 
"improvement  till  the  year  1681,  in  which  William 
"  Penn,  Esq.,  had  the  country  given  him  by  King 
"  Charles  the  Second.  *  *  =<=  Since  that  timr 
"  the  industrious  (nay  indefatigable)  inhabitant.^ 
"have  built  a  noble  and  beautiful  city,  and  called  ir 
"  Philadelphia,  which  contains  above  two  thousand 
"  houses,  all  inhabited,  and  most  of  them  stately  and 
"  of  brick,  generally  three  stories  high,  after  the 
"  mode  in  London,  and  as  many  as  several  familie.- 
"  in  each  (1). 

"  They  pay  no  tithes,  and  their  taxes  are  incon- 
"  siderable  ;  the  place  is  free  for  all  persuasions  in 
"  a  sober  and  civil  way ;  for  the  Church  of  England 
"and  the  Quakers  bear  equal  share  in  the  govern- 
"  ment ;  they  live  friendly  and  well  together  ;  there 
"  is  no  persecution  for  religion,  nor  ever  likely  to 
"be"  (2). 

"  The  way  of  Worship  the  Swedes  use  in  thi.'^ 
"  Country,  is  the  Lutheran  ;  the  English  have  four 

(1)  "Thomas's  Pennsylvania  and  Sew  Jersey,  1698,"  pp.  > 
and  5. 

(2)  Idem,  pp  35  and  36. 


82  A  THIETIETII  ANNIVERSARY. 

"  sorts  of  Assemblies  or  Religious  Meetings  here  ; 
"  as  first,  the  Church  of  England,  who  built  a  very 
"  fine  church  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia  in  the 
"  year  1695  ;  second^,  the  Ana-Baptists  ;  thirdly, 
"  the  Presbyterians,  and  two  sorts  of  Quakers"  (1). 

Speaking  of  the  Quaker  George  Keith's  writings 
and  sayings,  he  says  : 

"And  he  tells  the  Presbyterian  Minister  that  he 
"  must  go  to  the  Pope  of  Rome  for  his  call,  for  he 
"  had  not  Scripture  for  it,"  and  he  adds  :  "  this  was 
"  in  the  year  1693  in  Pensilvania."  And  again,  he 
says :  "  and  his  letter  also  in  Mary  Land  against 
the  Presbyterian  Catechism,  Printed  at  Boston  in 
New  England  in  1695"  (2). 

This  is  newly  discovered  evidence  of  the  early 
existence  of  Presbyterianism  in  this  country  and 
proves  that  it  existed  here  considerably  over  two 
hundred  years  ago.  It  grew  rapidly  and,  as  stated 
by  Justice  Kennedy,  its  Church  affairs  were  ruled 
over  by  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia  at  first,  after- 
wards of  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  until  after  the 
Revolution  and  down  to  1788.  It  was  the  only 
Church  in   the  country,   prior  to  the  Revolution, 

(1)  Idem,  pp.  61  and  82. 

(2)  Idem,  pp.  62-3  and  4. 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  83 

whose  affairs  were  so  ruled  over  by  a  Legislative 
and  Judicial  body,  composed  of  Ministers  and  Elders, 
from  Georgia  to  New  England,  annually  chosen  by 
the  people  tlicy  represented,  and  they  were  imbued 
with  the  spirit  of  liberty  and  in  favor  of  a  republi- 
can form  of  government  in  civil  affairs,  such  as  they 
had  in  their  own  Church.  The  churches  of  the 
Congregationalists  and  the  Baptists  were  separate 
and  distinct  units.  The  churches  of  England  were 
controlled  by  the  parent  Church  in  England  (1). 
The  Methodists  had  no  class,  as  it  is  termed,  or  con- 
gregation in  this  country  until  1766,  and  their  first 
Conference  was  held  in  1773  (2).  The  Reformed 
Dutch  Church  was  restricted  in  its  limits,  had  no 
English  preaching  until  1763,  and  was  without  a 
Church  Judicatory  until  1771  (3).  The  German 
Reformed  Church  was  governed  from  Holland  until 
1793  (4).  The  Catholics  then  were  insignificant  in 
numbers,  and  the  Quakers  were  non-combatants. 
It  is  apparent,  therefore,  that  the  Presbyterian 
Church  was  the  only  Church  in  this  country,  prior 


(1)  "  Westminster  Anniversary  Addresses,  1898,"  pp. 336-7-8. 

(2)  "New  American  Encyclopedia"— Appleton,  Vol.  11,  p. 464. 

(3)  "New  Ameiicun   Encyclopedia"— Appleton,  Vol.   J4,  pp. 
256  and  6. 

(4)  "New  Aujerican  Encyclopedia"— Appleton,  Vol.  14,  p.25S 


84  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

to  the  Ptevolution,  governed  by  a  representative 
body — a  body  that  had  then  existed  for  sixty  years, 
from  1716  to  1776.  It  would  be  interesting  to  trace 
the  influence  of  those  representatives  in  moulding 
opinion,  and  directing  it  towards  free  government, 
culminating  in  the  Declaration  of  Independence  in 
1776.  Time,  however,  forbids.  Certain  it  is,  that 
their  influence  controlled.  It  was  the  vote  of  a 
Presbyterian — a  lawyer  from  our  own  town — James 
Wilson — that  gave  a  bare  majority  in  the  vote  of 
the  Pennsylvania  Delegation  cast  for  the  Declaration 
of  Independence  (1).  It  was  Dr.  John  Witherspoon, 
a  lineal  descendant  of  John  Knox,  President  of 
Princeton  College,  and  head  of  its  Presbyterian 
School  of  Divinit}^,  who  declared  in  Congress  "  that 
in  his  judgment  the  country  was  not  only  ripe  for 
Independence,  but  was  in  danger  of  becoming  rotten 
for  want  of  it,  if  its  Declaration  were  longer  de- 
layed" (2).  It  was  not  delayed,  and  its  assertion 
that  Governments  derive  their  just  powers  from  the 


(1)  "  History  ot  Cumberland  and  Adains  Counties,"  p.  87- 
"History  of  tlie  United  States"  -  Bancroft  Centenary  Ed., 

Vol.  6,  p.  320.    "  First  Presbyterian  Church,  Carlisle"— Wing.  p. 
93. 

(2)  "  History  of  the  United  States"— Bancroft,  Centenary  Ed., 
Vol.  6,  p.  318. 


HISTORICAL  ADDRESS.  85 

consent  of  the  governed  was  made  good  when  a 
treaty  of  peace  with  Great  Britain  was  ratified  in 
1783. 

Then  came  the  formation  of  a  National  Constitu- 
tion, to  bind  the  States  together  under  one  Govern- 
ment, deriving  its  powers  from  the  consent  of  the 
governed.  Time  again  forbids  tracing  Presbyterian 
influence  in  its  accomplishment.  Suffice  it  to  say, 
that  Madison,  called  the  father  of  the  Constitution, 
although  an  Episcopalian,  received  his  education 
under  Dr.  John  Witherspoon,  the  head  of  the  Pres- 
byterian College  at  Princeton  (1),  that  James 
Wilson,  the  Presbyterian  lawyer,  formerly  of  Car- 
lisle, was  on  the  committee  that  reported  the  Con- 
stitution to  the  Convention,  and  he  secured  its 
adoption  by  Pennsylvania  (2),  and  that  Gouverneur 
Morris,  then  of  Pennsylvania,  who  corrected  ant] 
arranged  the  final  draft  of  it,  was  a  lineal  descend- 
ant of  an  oflScer  of  Oliver  Cromwell's  army  (3). 
That  Constitution,  on  June  21,  1788,  was  ratified  by 


(1)  "  Appleton's  Cyclopedia  of  American  Biogniphy,"  Vol.  J, 
p.  165. 

(•2)  "  History  of  the  Constitutioa  ol  the  United  States"— Ban- 
croft, pp.  271  :ind  38  4. 

(3)  "  Appleton"9  Cyclopedia  of  American  Biography,"  Vol.  J, 
pp.  414  and  416. 


86  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

the  required  number  of  States  (1),  and  became  the 
fundamental  law  of  the  land. 

In  keeping  with  this  advance  to  Civil  Liberty  in 
our  form  of  GTovernment,  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  the  United  States  went  forward  to  its  larger  de- 
velopment in  the  same  direction.  Beginning  in 
1786,  the  work  was  completed  in  May,  1788,  by  the 
adoption  of  the  E.eport  of  the  Committee  in  favor  of 
a  General  Assembly,  similar  to  that  of  the  Church 
of  Scotland,  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith, 
with  all  mixture  of  civil  with  Church  matters  elimi- 
nated therefrom,  the  Directory  for  Worship  and  the 
Catechisms  (2).  At  the  head  of  the  committee  was 
Dr.  John  Witherspoon,  and  a  member  of  it  was  a 
Presbyterian  minister — -Dr.  George  Dufiield — who 
had  been  for  some  years  pastor  of  the  Church  in 
Garlisle — 'and  to  whose  congregation  James  Wilson, 
the  signer  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and 
one  of  the  framers  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  belonged  (3).     These  Constitutions,  in  Civil 


(1)  "  Appleton's  Cyclopedia  ot  American  Biogxapliy." 

(2)  "  Sketches  of  the  Presbyterian  Churcli"—Rockwen,  1864. 
p.  ?4(). 

(3)  "  Sketches  ot  the  Presbyterian  Church"— RockweU,  p.  240. 
The  American  Cyclopedia— Appleton,  Vol.  13,  p.  8i3. 
Appleton's   Cyclopedia  of  American  Biography,  Vol.  1,  p. 

248. 


HISTORICAL  ADDRESS.  »7 

and  ill  Church  affairs,  were  adopted  by  the  respective 
powers  here  in  our  own  State  of  Pennsylvania. 

The  first  Congress  of  the  United  States  met  on 
March  4,  1789.  The  first  General  Assembly  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States  met  on 
the  third  Thursday  in  May,  1789. 

The  seventh  great  step  had  been  taken.  A 
Republican  form  of  Government  in  Civil  and  in 
Church  affairs,  entirely  separate  and  distinct  from 
each  other,  had  been  put  in  operation  in  a  land  set 
apart  for  freedom. 

The  unit  in  the  State  is  the  Township  or 
Town.  In  the  Church  it  is  the  congregation.  A 
number  of  townships  and  towns  form  the  County. 
A  number  of  churches  form  the  Presbytery.  A 
number  of  Counties  make  the  State.  A  num- 
ber of  Presbyteries  constitute  the  Synod.  The 
States  make  the  General  Government.  The  Pres- 
byteries through  the  Synods  make  the  General  As- 
sembly. State  and  Church  alike  derive  all  power 
from  the  governed,  whose  consent  is  required  to 
change  the  fundamental  law.  Each  has  its  own 
sphere  and  conflicts  not  with  the  other — in  fact 
they  harmonize.  Thus  Chief  Justice  Tilghman,  of 
Pennsylvania,  in  Riddle  vs.  Stevens,  a  Presbyterian 


88  A  Thirtieth  anniversary. 

Church  case,  decided  in  1816,  and  reported  in  2nd 
Sergeant  &  Rawle's  Reports,  says  on  page  543  : 

"  Every  Church  has  a  disciphne  of  its  own.  It  is 
"  necessary  that  it  sliould  be  so,  because,  without 
"  rules  and  discipline,  no  body  composed  of  nu- 
"  merous  individuals  can  be  governed.  But  this 
"'  discipline  is  confined  to  spiritual  affairs.  It  oper- 
"  ates  on  the  mind  and  conscience,  without  pretend- 
"  ing  to  temporal  authority.  No  member  of  the 
''  Church  can  be  fined  or  imprisoned.  But  be  he 
"  minister  or  layman  he  may  be  admonished,  re- 
"  proved  and  finally  ejected  from  the  Society.  So 
^'  he  may  retire  from  the  Society  at  his  own  free 
"  will.  Under  these  restrictions  religious  discipline 
*'  may  produce  much  good,  without  infringing  on 
"  civil  liberty." 

From  1789  on  each  has  advanced  side  by  side 
Until  to-day  the  population  of  the  country  is  70,- 
000,000,  while  the  Presbyterian  Church  and  its 
Calvinistic  Allies,  with  their  constituencies,  amount 
to  one-ninth  or  more  of  the  entire  people — a  larger 
proportion  than  that  possessed  by  any  other  church 
in  the  country. 

It  remained  to  demonstrate  that  a  Republican 
form  of  Civil  Government  was  strono;.     It  resisted 


lltSTOUICAL    AiiDUKSS.  89 

lues  t'roia  without.  Could  it  overcome  fnes  withiu 
itself?  The  war  of  the  llebellion  tried  it.  Terrihle 
a.s  it  was  the  State  emerged  from  it  purified  from 
shivery  and  with  a  strength  that  astonished]  the 
world.  There  the  parallel  ends.  In  the  State  the 
individual  is  subject  to  the  will  of  the  majority, 
while  in  the  Church  the  conscience  of  the  individual 
controls  meml)ersliip. 

From  oar  present  standpoint,  looking  backward 
over  the  course  of  events,  it  would  seem,  therefore, 
that  there  has  been  a  steady  unfolding  of  some  great 
plan  for  the  human  race.  Each  movement  led  to  a 
<lefinite  result  not  intended  by  the  actors  in  it.  All 
thus  far  have  culminated  in  establishing  in  a  coun- 
try, unknown  before,  civil  and  religious  lilterty 
based  upon  personal  responsibility  of  the  individual 
to  the  laws  of  the  majority  on  the  one  side,  and  on 
the  other,  to  the  laws  of  the  Creator  as  made  known 
in  the  Bible.  The  movement  originated  in  a  nation 
which  resulted  from  the  commingling  of  various 
races  and  its  continuation  is  in  a  nation  produced 
by  a  commingling  thus  far  of  a  much  greater  num- 
ber of  human  races.  It  was  caused  by  a  growing 
knowledge  of  the  Bible,  an  absolute  belief  in  its 
teachings  and  an  indestinictiltlc  iaitli  in  its  promises. 


90  A  THIRTIETH  ANN'lVERSAP.y. 

Surely  it  has  been,  and  is,  part  of  some  great  plan- 
working  out  under  divine  direction,  and  it  behooves- 
each  individual  to  work  for,  and  not  against,  that 
plan. 

This  church  is  one  of  the  professedly  working, 
ttnits.  It  is  a  member  of  the  leading  Presbyterian 
body  in  the  world.  Has  it  been  working  for,  or 
against,  the  Lord's  plan?  It  has  lived  thus  far 
sixty-six  years.  Take  a  rapid  survey  of  what  the 
years  disclose,  and  then  answer  the  question  for 
yourselves. 

The  Px,ev.  George  Duffield  was  the  pastor  of  the 
Presbyterian  congregation  in  Carlisle  when,  early  in 
1832,  he  published  a  large  volume  entitled  "Spir- 
itual Life,  &c"  (1).     Dr.  Wing  artlessly  says  : 

"  He  had,  in  his  congregation,,  a  number  of  per- 
*'  sons  who  were  capable  of  appreciating  theological 
"  statements,  iand  whose  minds  were  not  satisfied 
•'  with  his  explanations.  They  were  ardently  at- 
"  tached  to  those  views  which  he  so  zealously  as- 
"  sailed  as  injurious  to  souls."  (2)  From  these  "  per- 
sons who  were  capable  of  appreciating  theological 
statements,"  a  petition  was  presented  by  Mr.  An- 


(l.  The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  CarUsle— Wing,  p.  i80. 
(2)  The  First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Carlisle— Wing,  p.  182. 


HTSTORICAL    ADDRESS.  91 

•arew  Blair  on  Nov.  28th,  1832,  to  the  Carlisle?  Pres- 
bytery which  then  met  at  Newville  in  this  county, 
asking  to  be  formed  into  a  separate  society,  under 
the  care  of  the  Presbytery,  from  and  alU'r  Januan' 
1st,  1833  (1). 

The  Presbytery,  by  a  unanimous  vote,  granted 
the  prayer  of  the  petitioners,  and  appointed  a  com- 
mittee of  two  ministers  to  organize  the  present 
Church.  'That  committee  met  witli  the  petitioners 
on  Satunhiy,  the  12th  day  of  January,  1833,  in  the 
"County  Hall,  at  Carlisle,  and  organized  the  Ghurclk 
One  of  the  committee  was  the  father  df  the  present 
senior  Senator  from  Pennsylvania — Mr.  Quay — and 
one  of  the  petitioners  to  he  organized  into  a  Church 
was  the  grandfather  of  the  present  junior  Senator 
from  Pennsylvania — Mr.  Penrose.  The  petitioners 
were  77  in  number — 65  communicants  and  12  non- 
communicant  pew-holders.  Of  the  communicants, 
three  were  Elders,  four  wore  Deacons,  and  eight  were 
Trustees — a  majority  of  the  Board  of  the  Old 
Church.  All  of  the  four  Deacons  were  also  Trustees, 
and  are  included  in  the  eight..  The  three  Elders 
were  Ptobert  Clark,  ordained  in  October,  1816  ;  (2) 


(1)  Record  of  Sessions,  Second  Presbyteriiin  Church,  Carlisle, 
Pa.,"  p.  1. 

(2)  "  First  Presbyterian  Church,  ot  Carlisle  "—Wing,  p.  154. 


92  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSAKY. 

John  McClure  and  Andrew  Blair,  ordained  Dec.  25, 
1825  (2).  At  the  meeting  for  organization,  Mr. 
Quay  preached  the  sermon  from  Verse  7  of  Psalm 
62 — "  My  refuge  is  in  God."  It  might  be  well  for 
his  talented  son,  the  Senator,  about  this  time,  to 
look  up  that  sermon  and  study  it. 

The  organization  was  effected  by  the  election  of 
Andrew  Blair,  John  McClure  and  Robert  Clark  to 
be  Ruling  Elders,  and  Peter  B.  Smith,  Pk,obert  Irvine, 
John  Proctor  and  Robert  Giffen  to  be  Deacons — all 
having  held  the  same  offices  in  the  Old  Church. 

At  the  meeting  three  committees  were  appointed 
' — one  of  five  members,  including  Charles  B.  Penrose 
and  George  Metzger,  neither  of  whom  was  a  com- 
municant, to  procure  a  charter ;  one  of  twelve  mem- 
bers, "  to  superintend  the  tinancial  affairs  of  the 
congregation  for  one  year,  or  until  a  charter  be 
procured,  if  that  be  obtained  within  the  year;"  and 
one  of  fifteen  members,  "  to  procure  subscriptions 
*  *  *  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  us  in  purchasing 
a  lot  of  ground  and  erecting  Jt  suitable  house  of 
worship,"  with  authority  "  to  purchase  a  suitable 
site  for   said  buildins;."     It  was  resolved  also  that 


('2)  "First  Presbyterian  Church,  of  CarUsle"— Wing,  p.  160. 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  93 

there  should  be  pubUc  worship  of  ami  preaching  to 
the  congregation  every  Sabbath,  and  Rev.  Daniel 
]\IeKinley  was  invited  to  preach  on  the  Sabbaths 
liot  provided  for  by  the  Presbytery.  The  congrega- 
tion had  begun  its  life  as  a  member  of  the  greatest 
Presbyterian  body  in  the  world. 

The  old  congregation  had  a  fund  of  twenty-five 
hundred  dollars  remaining  from  the  sale  and  con- 
veyance, on  January  30,  1827,  by  deed  recorded  in 
the  Recorder's  Office  of  Cumljerland  County,  in 
Record  Book  "  KK,"  Vol.  1,  page  1C3,  to  Phihp 
Weaver,  of  the  Glebe  farm,  at  Meeting  House 
Springs,  of  143  acres  85|  perches,  for  $^3,500.  At 
a  congregational  meeting  held  in  that  Church,  after 
Presbytery  had  taken  action  upon  the  petition  for  a 
.-:eparate  church  organization,  it  was  ordered  that 
this  twenty-five  hundred  dollars  be  turned  over  to 
the  new  Church,  and  on  December  17,  1832,  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  under  the  action  of  the  congrega- 
tion, directed  that  sum  to  Ije  paid  to  Robert  Clark 
and  Andrew  Blair,  in  trust  "  for  the  conOTegation  to 
V»e  set  off,  to  enable  them  to  Ijuild  a  house  of  wor- 
ship" (1). 


(1)  "First  Presbyteiism  Clmrch,  of  Carlisle"— ^ing,  p.  188. 
Corrected  by  Rev  Dr.  J.   A.   Murray,  in   "  C'lirlisle  V'olun 
teer,"ot  Jauuiiry  lo,  1878. 


94  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

The  cammittee  to  purchase  a  suitable  site,  on 
April  1,  1833,  took  a  conveyance,  recorded  in  the 
Recorder's  Oifice,  in  Book  "  00,"  Vol.  1,  page  252, 
from  Alexander  Oliver  to  John  Hays,  Charles  B. 
Penrose,  George  A.  Lyon,  James  Thompson  and  John 
Agnew,  for  and  in  behalf  of  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church,  of  Carlisle,  of  the  lot  on  the  southeast  cor- 
ner of  Hanover  and  Pomfret  streets,  in  Carlisle,  of 
63  feet  in  front  on  Hanover  street,  and  160  feet  5 
inches  on  Pomfret  street,  for  the  consideration  of 
|2,200.  The  grantees  in  this  deed,  by  Deed  Poll  of 
September  16,  1839,  recorded  in  the  Recorder's 
Office,  in  Record  Book  "  WW,"  Vol.  1,  page  223, 
conveyed  this  lot  to  the  Church  corporation.  Later 
on  the  Church  sold  a  portion  of  it  fronting  on  Pom- 
fret street,  and  subsequently  re-purchased  it. 

John  C.  Trautwine,  Esq.,  was  employed  to  prepare 
plans  lor  the  church  building,  and  a  Mr.  Holman 
was  given  the  contract  for  its  erection.  Time  has 
not  permitted  the  ascertainment  of  its  cost,  but  on 
April  7,  1834,  it  was  estimated  that  a  sum  not  ex- 
ceeding $1,400  would  pay  in  full  any  balance  to  be 
paid  on  the  contract,  as  well  as  the  furnishing  of  the 
Church.     Bv  Mav  3,  1834,  subscriptions  lor  the  pur- 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  95 

pose,  amounting  to  $1,461.50,  were  reported  (1). 
Mr.  Trautwine  would  accept  no  compensation  for  his 
services,  and  on  Septeml)er  29,  1834,  it  was  ordered 
tliat  a  silver  cup,  of  the  value  of  thirty  doHars,  with 
a  suitable  inscription,  "  Ix;  presented  to  him,  with 
thanks,  for  the  elegant  plan  of  a  church  edifice." 
At  the  same  time  it  was  ordered  that  Mr.  Holman, 
the  contractor,  be  informed  "  of  the  entire  satisfac- 
tion and  gratification  *  *  *  in  the  construction 
and  completion  of  the  Church  edifice.  The  lot  had 
been  purchased^  and  the  Church  had  been  built  and 
paid  for. 

The  committee  appointed  for  the  purpose  obtained 
a  charter  of  incor|)oration,  which  was  approved  by 
the  Governor  on  April  8,  1833,  and  is  to  be  found 
in  "  Laws  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania"  for  1832-3,  page  302.  The  full  cor- 
porate name  is  "The  Second  Presbyterian  Church, 
in  the  Borough  of  Carlisle  and  County  of  Cumber- 
land." Fifteen  incorporators  are  named  in  the  Act, 
in  the  following  order  :  Peter  B.  Smith,  John  Proc- 
tor, John  Huston,  C.  B.  Penrose,  G.  Metzger,  Esq., 
James  Hamilton,  Esq.,  Alexander  Gregg,  Robert 
Irvine,  John  Stuart,  John  Williamson,  Es([.,  (leorge 

(1)  Minuted,  pp.  lliaiul  14. 


96  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

A.  Lyon,  Esq.,  Robert  GitFen,  Andrew  Holmes,. 
Abraham  Lamberton,  John  Hays ;  five  of  whom 
were  lawyers,  and  four,  including  three  of  the  law- 
yers, were  non-communicants.  They  met  on  April 
12,  1833,  at  the  house  of  George  A.  Lyon,  Esq., — 
the  stone  house  now  of  Mr.  William  Barnitz,  on 
the  north  side  of  East  Main  street — and  organized 
by  the  election  of  George  A.  Lyon,  Esq.,  as  Presi- 
dent, James  Hamilton,  Esq.,  as  Secretary,  and  Wil- 
liam Irvine,  Esq.,  as  Treasurer  (1). 

The  orjwratimi  had  come  into  life. 

On  June  5th,  1833,  the  congregation,  by  a  unani- 
mous vote,  elected  the  Ilev.  Daniel  McKinley  as 
Pastor,  and  on  Aug.  7th,  1833,  at  two  o'clock  p.  m., 
the  Presbytery  met  with  the  congregation  in  the 
College  Chapel,  and  duly  insta,lled  him. 

Thus  the  congre'jation  was  duly  organized^  with 
Pastor,  Elders  and  Deacons,  with  a  charter  of  incor- 
poration, ayid  an  organized  Board  of  Trustees,  iviih 
a  Church  property  of  its  own  and  2mid  for,  and  it 
was  ready  to  proceed  on  its  career  after  "  Glory  and 
Happiness." 

The  charter  of  the  church  provides  :  "That  all 
"  elections  to  be  held  in  pursuance  of  this  Act  shall 

(1)  Minutes,  p.  3. 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  07 

"be  by  ballot  *  *  *  that  no  persons  shall  Ixi 
"  entitled  to  vote  at  said  elections,  nor  shall  any  one 
"  be  elected  as  trustee,  who  is  not  a  stated  worshi])- 
"per  in  said  congregation,  and  whose  name  has  not 
"  been  entered  on  the  books  of  the  cono-reffiition  at 
"  least  one  year  immediately  preceding  any  of  said 
"  elections  as  a  contributor  to  said  Church  in  a  sum 
"not  less  than  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents,  and  who 
"  shall  be  in  arrears  for  such  or  any  part  thereof  for 
"the  space  of  thirty  days;  *  *  *  ^|^.^|-  ^j^,. 
"  Pastor  of  said  Congregation  and  ruling  Elders  shall 
"not  hold  any  other  office,  and  said  Pastor  shall  be 
"disqualified  from  the  right  of  voting."  A  com- 
mittee, consir^ting  of  Charles  B.  Penrose,  Peter  B. 
Smith  and  George  A.  Lyon,  appointed  April  12, 
1833,  reported  By-Laws  for  the  corporation  on  June 
3rd,  1833,  which  were  unanimously  approved  by 
the  Board,  and,  on  June  5,  1833,  unanimously 
adopted  by  the  congregation  (1).  The  charter  qual- 
ifications of  electors  were  incorporated  in  By-Law 
No.  5. 

These   provisions   separated   the    charter  of  this 
Church  from  all  other  church  charters   that    have 


(1)  Minutes,  p.  7. 


98  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

been  examined,  and  absolutely  cut  oif  the  spir- 
itual matters  and  officers  of  the  congregation  from 
its  temporal  affidrs  and  their  management.  That 
there  might  be  no  mistake  as  to  their  effect  the  ses- 
sion of  the  church  on  Nov.  21st,  1835,  addressed 
a  very  carefully  prepared  overture  to  the  congrega- 
tion asking  "  that  By-Law  No.  5  be  altered  so  as  to 
"  restrict  its  operation  to  elections  for  Pastor  and 
"  Trustees,  and  to  questions  which  relate  to  the 
"pecuniary  affairs  of  the  congregation,  "and  "that 
"  in  all  elections  for  Elders  or  Deacons,  no  person 
"shall  be  entitled  to  vote  who  is  not  a  member  of 
"  the  church  in  full  communion,  over  the  age  of 
"  twenty-one  years,  and  who  does  not  contribute 
''his  just  proportion  according  to  his  own  engage- 
''  ments  or  the  rules  of  the  congregation  to  all  its 
"  necessary  or  benevolent  expenses."  The  congre- 
gation on  Dec.  3rd,  1835,  in  response  to  the  over- 
ture, made  the  changes  requested  (1). 

Thus  again  and  finally  the  line  was  drawn  be- 
tween the  temporal  and  spiritual  affairs  of  the  con- 
gregation. The  larger  body — the  Corporation — 
includino;    communicants   and    non-communicants — 


(1)  Minutes  of  Session,  p    17. 
Minutes  of  Trustees,  p.  £7- 


IHSTORTCAL    ADDRESS.  09 

has  exclusive  control  over  temporal  matters  and  the 
election  of  Pastors  and  Trustees,  while  the  smaller 
body  of  communicants  has  just  as  exclusive  control 
over  spiriUial  atl'airs  through  its  representative — 
the  Session.  It  is  a  smaller  body  within  a  larger 
one — like  a  State  within  the  Union — each  having 
its  separate  and  distinct  powers  and  neither  inter- 
fering with  the  other.  It  thus  becomes  apparent 
that  a  Presbyterian  Constituency  exists  and  is  com- 
posed of  non-communicants  who  are  stated  worship- 
pers in  and  contributors  to  the  Church.  It  makc-s 
these  non-communicants  members  of  the  Church  in 
the  larger  sense  of  the  term  and  gives  them  a  voice 
in  the  selection  of  Pastors  and  in  the  business  man- 
ao-eaient  of  the  Church.  It  adds  to  the  Church  a 
strong  element,  and  these  constituents,  from  them- 
selves and  their  families,  furnish  recruits  to  the 
ranks  of  the  communicants.  In  this  the  Presby- 
terian Church  stands  almost,  if  not  entirely,  alone 
among  the  churches  of  this  country. 

Over  the  Church  thus  constituted,  its  chosen 
Session  ruled.  In  length  of  services  as  an  Elder, 
Mr.  Robert  Clark  led.  He  was  ordained  in  October, 
1816,  and  died  in  January,  1856,  having  served  in 
the  First  Church  seventeen  years,  and  in  this  Church 


100  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSAEY. 

twenty-two  years,  in  all  somewhat  over  thirty-nine 
years.  Mr.  Andrew  Blair  was  ordained  on  Dec.  25/ 
1825,  served  the  First  Church  seven  years,  and  this 
Church  twenty-eight  and  a  half  years  to  his  death, 
in  July,  1861,  in  all  thirty-five  and  a  half  years. 
His  service  to  this  Church  was  the  lono-est.  Mr. 
John  McClure  was  a  brother-in-law  of  Mr.  Andrew 
Blair,  was  ordained  at  the  same  time  with  him,  and 
served  the  First  Church  for  the  same  period.  He 
last  appeared  at  a  meeting  of  the  Session  Aug.  19, 
1839,  resigned  as  its  Clerk,  because  of  continued  ill- 
health,  September  10,  1840,  and  died  in  April,  1841, 
having  practically  served  this  Church  six  years  and 
a  half,  which  made  an  ascaireo-ate  service  as  an  Elder 
of  thirteen  and  a  half  years.  These  gentlemen  ruled 
as  if  they  had  ever  before  them  the  Declaration, 
found  in  the  8th  section  of  the  1st  Chapter  of  "  The 
Form  of  Government"  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
in  the  United  States,  as  follows  :  "  The  vigour  and 
strictness  of  its  discipline  ivill  contribute  to  the  glory 
and  happiness  of  any  GhurcK^ — and  which  deserves 
to  be  written  in  letters  of  gold  upon  the  walls  of 
every  Church.  They  divided  the  territory  within 
their  jurisdiction,  and  assigned  one  of  their  number 
to  each  district,  so  that  the  members  of  the  Church 


HISTORICAL  ADDRESS.  lOl 

could  be  regularly  visited.  In  this  way,  and  with 
Pastoral  visits,  the  members  of  the  Session  became 
familiar  with  the  conduct  of  every  member  of  the 
Church,  and  if  it  did  not  accord  with  what  they  in- 
terpreted the  standard  of  Christian  behavior  to  be, 
they  unhesitatingly,  but  with  the  utmost  kindness, 
advised,  reproved,  and,  if  necessary,  summoned  be- 
fore them  and  dealt  with  the  party  according  to  the 
rules  of  the  Church.  They  set  their  faces  like  flint 
against  theatre  going,  Ijalls  and  dancing  parties, 
even  attendance  at  the  latter,  and  against  every 
species  of  fashionable  amusement,  and  through  tlieii- 
Pastor,  made  a  deliverance  on  the  subject,  which  was 
heartily  approved  by  the  Presbytery.  From  time  to 
time  other  members  were  added  to  the  Session,  and 
one  by  one  dropped  out  again,  but  the  ruling  con- 
tinued the  same  through  the  pastorates  of  Mr. 
McKinley,  Mr,  McGili,  Mr.  Moore.  Mr.  Lillie,  Mr. 
Johnston  and  Mr.  Eells,  down  to  the  death  of  Mr. 
Blair,  because  Mr.  Blair  dominated  the  Session  and 
the  Pastors. 

Tall  and  massive  in  frame,  with  a  big  square  head, 
well  set  on  his  broad  shoulders,  he  was  stalwart  in 
mind  and  body.  Of  a  Scotch  family,  which  for  two 
generations  before  him  resided  here,  he  was  imbued 


102  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

with  all  the  Scotch  reverence  for  religion,  and  with 
all  the  Scotch  intolerance  of  sin.  Utterly  fearless, 
he  denounced  in  scathing  terms  every  form  of  sin, 
but  with  a  glowing  smile  that  lighted  up  all  his 
rugged  features  he  was  ever  ready  to  welcome  the 
repentant  sinner.  He  was  a  close  student  of  the 
Bible,  and,  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  doctrines 
and  government  of  the  Church,  he  ruled  his  own  life 
by  them.  For  many  years,  and  until  his  death,  he 
was  the  Superintendent  of  the  Sabbath-school,  and 
he  regularly  conducted  the  Friday  evening  prayer- 
meeting.  Until  a  few  years  before  his  death  the 
"  Thunders  of  Sinai"  seemed  to  be  sounding  in  his 
ears,  and  he  passed  them  on  to  all  the  sinners  around 
him,  then  those  thunders  almost  entirely  ceased  to 
sound  for  him,  and  the  quiet  ^peace  of  perfect  love 
seemed  to  pervade  his  whole  being.  This  was  most 
apparent  when  the  great  religious  wave  of  1857  and 
1858  passed  over  the  country.  Everywhere  noonday 
prayer-meetings  were  held  and  joined  in  by  all  Pro- 
testant denominations.  They  were  held  in  this  town 
in  a  room  in  Marion  Hall,  and  in  his  addresses  and 
prayers  in  those  meetings  Mr.  Blair  was  happier, 
more  eloquent  and  more  effective  than  he  had  ever 
been  ;  and  the  main-spring  of  it  all  was  the  intense 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  103 

overflowing  love  that  sounded  in  his  words  and  shone 
upon  his  countenance.  Shortly  thereafter  he  was  in 
the  grasp  of  disease.  Then,  slowly  and  painfully, 
but  serenely,  that  "  grand  old  man"  went  down  to 
his  grave  and  up  to  his  Lord. 

Mr.  Robert  Clark  was  a  shorter  man  than  Mr. 
Blair,  broad,  heavy  shouldered  and  with  a  large 
head.  His  whole  person  indicated  unyielding  deter- 
mination. He,  too,  was  of  Scotch  descent,  and  his 
Presbyterianism  was  ingrained.  Living  some  miles 
out  in  the  country,  no  one  was  more  constant  in 
church  attendance  and  at  the  meetings  of  Session. 
He  was  willing  and  ready  to  go  anywhere  and  do 
anything  in  the  line  of  his  duty.  He  was  kind, 
warmhearted,  but  strict  and  positive  in  his  views. 
Of  rather  a  retiring  disposition,  he  shunned,  but 
never  shirked,  public  leadership.  His  high  sense  of 
duty  made  him  obedient  to  its  calls  and  he  re- 
sponded to  every  demand  made  upon  him.  He 
stood  side  by  side  with  Mr.  Blair.  With  him  he 
was  the  friend  and  confidant  of  his  Pastors  and  with 
him  he  ruled  wisely  and  well. 

Another  of  those  old  time  worthies  was  Mr.  James 
Hamilton,  who  lived  and  worked  in  this  Church  for 
forty  vears,  until  he  too  joined  the  great  majority,  in 


104  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

January,  1873.  Almost  painfully  deficient  in  self- 
confidence,  although  morally  brave,  he  could  never 
be  induced  to  be  ordained  as  a  Ruling  Elder,  to 
which  office  he  was  three  times  chosen.  He  was 
peculiar  in  many  ways,  but  never  so  when  it  was  a 
matter  of  Church  work,  and  in  his  own  modest,  re- 
tiring way  he  did  as  much  as  any  Ruling  Elder 
could  ever  hope  to  do.  He  was  slow  in  forming  a 
conclusion  but  when  once  formed  there  was  an  end 
of  the  matter.  He  too  was  a  Bible  student  and  a 
thorough  Presbyterian.  For  many  years  he  had  a 
Bible  class  for  young  ladies  in  Sabbath-school,  and 
after  the  death  of  Mr.  Blair  became  Superintendent 
of  the  School  until  early  in  1869  he  suggested  that 
the  Superintendent  should  be  annually  appointed, 
and  in  that  way  he  was  enabled  to  retire.  He  took 
great  personal  interest  in  the  young  who  came 
under  his  teaching — made  parties  for  them  at  his 
house  or  took  them  on  picnics  to  one  of  his  farms. 
On  the  inner  side  of  his  oflace  door  were  written  the 
names  of  his  young  lady  scholars  and  the  years  of 
their  scholarship,  so  that  at  the  time  he  died  there 
iinust  have  been  over  two  hundred  names  there.  To 
each  one  he  gave  some  little  token  of  regard — a 
Bible  or  a  hymn  book,  a  Confession  of  Faith  or  some 


HISTORICAL  ADDRESS.  105 

otlior  l>o()k,  and  in  each  was  written  over  his  sio;na- 
tare  some  words  of  admonition  or  of  Scripture. 
Now,  many  of  those  young  ladies  are  wives  and 
mothers  and  grandmothers  scattered  all  over  the 
United  States,  but  wherever  they  are  they  have  a 
kindly  feeling  for  peculiar,  genial  and  warm  hearted 
Mr.  Hamilton,  and  are  instilling,  into  the  minds  of 
children  and  grandchildren,  the  words  of  wisdom  he 
taught,  so  that  they  too  may  become  living  monu- 
ments of  his  work  on  earth. 

How  memories  of  those  old  worthies  come  throng- 
ing upon  us !  These  few  are  but  types  of  the 
others.  They  were  forceful,  strong  minded,  posi- 
tive men  and  women,  and  they  laid  the  foundation 
of  this  Church  deep  and  strong.  They  passed  it  on 
to  their  successors,  and  when  in  time,  after  the  pas- 
torate of  Mr.  Bliss,  it  came  to  be  placed  under  a 
pastorate  that  has  now  seen  thirty  years  of  life,  it 
had  become  so  great  that  it  could  afford  to  expend, 
for  a  parsonage  and  for  this  larger  place  of  worship 
that  its  needs  required,  nearly  sixty  thousand  dol- 
lars. During  those  thirty  years  the  work  has  been 
carried  forward  and  upward,  and  looking  back  over 
the  sixty-six  years  that  have  passed  since  that  little 
knot  of  men  and  women  were  formed  into  a  Presby- 


106  A  THIETIETH  ANNIVEKSAKY. 

terian  Congregation,  we  can  see,  all  along  the  years, 
the  potential  influence  its  men  and  women  exercised 
in  this  community  and  in  this  county.  It  has  been 
an  influence  exceeding  any  other,  and  it  sprang  from 
the  lives  and  the  character  of  the  members  of  this 
Congregation.  For  almost  sixty  years  the  Presi- 
dent Judg3s  of  your  Courts  have  been  of  your  num- 
ber or  have  owed  their  appointment,  nomination  and 
election  to  their  families  or  their  friends  among  you. 
So  long  as  Associate  Judges  sat  upon  the  Bench, 
almost  without  exception,  a  Second  Presbyterian 
was  one  of  them.  A  long  line  of  eminent  lawyers, 
beginning  with  Metzger  and  Penrose  and  ending 
with  Sharpe,  added  ability  and  force,  while,  through 
Banks  officered  and  controlled  by  your  people,  the 
financial  aff"airs  of  the  County  have  been  ruled. 
Good  old  Presbyterian  ladies,  among  you,  originated 
the  Ladies'  Benevolent  Aid  Society,  that  has  done 
and  is  doing  such  good  work  among  the  poor  of  the 
town.  Missionaries  in  foreign  lands,  Ministers  of 
the  Gospel,  prominent  men  and  rising  young  men, 
everywhere^  have  gone  out  from  you,  and  the  teach- 
ing and  the  training  they  received  here  are  helping 
to  better  the  world. 

What  has  been  done  in  the  past  can  be  done  in  " 


HISTORICAL    ADDRESS.  107 

the  3'ears  that  the  future  contains,  and,  under  the 
leadership  of  your  thirty-year  old  Pastor,  the  work 
can  be  so  advanced  and  increased  that  your  suc- 
cessors can  look  l»ack  with  greater  i)ride  than  you 
do,  and  can  see  how  this  Church  has  worked  in  har- 
mony with  the  divine  plan,  in  the  establishment  of 
civil  and  religious  liberty  upon  this  continent,  as 
shown  in  our  form  of  Government  and  in  the  Pres- 
byterian Church. 


ADDRESSES, 

Sabbath  Evening,  January  1,  1899. 


EEV.  WILLIAM  A.  WEST, 

President  of  Metzger  College,  Carlisle, 

Presiding. 

President  West  expressed  his  liigli  appreciation  of 
the  honor  conferred  upon  him  by  the  invitation  to 
preside  at  a  service  which  would  help  to  mark  an 
occasion  so  interesting  and  memoral)lc  as  this  anni- 
versary. He  referred  in  feeling  terms  to  the  very 
close  relations  which  he  sustained  alike  to  this  pastor 
and  people,  and  having  spoken  of  the  honorable 
record  which  had  been  made  by  many  of  the  pastors 
in  the  Presbytery  of  Carlisle  as  to  the  matter  of  long 
periods  of  service,  he  introduced  the  first  speaker  of 
the  evening,  Dr.  Crawford,  as  one  who  had  helped 
to  install  the  pastor  of  this  Church  thirty  years  ago, 
having  given  him,  at  that  time,  by  appointment  of 
Presbytery,  the  solemn  and  official  charge  of  fidelity 
to  his  trust  in  the  sight  of  God. 


110  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVER>?ARY. 

"  THE  MINISTRY,  THE  GLORY  OF  CHRIST." 

BY 

EP]V.  J.  AGNP]W  CRAWFORD,  D.  D. 


"  Our  brethren  *  *  are  the  glory  of 
Christ" — II  Cor.  viii.  23. 

There  is  a  mellow  light  that  lingers  yet  on  ancient 
Greece,  and  a  winsome  charm  in  that  classic  land, 
not  less  for  the  Christian  than  for  the  unbelieving 
.scholar.  Our  religion  has  hallowed  much  of  its  soil, 
and  of  its  water-ways  as  well.  It  has  made  Athens 
and  Achaia,  and  Philippi,  and  Corinth,  and  Cen- 
chrea,  the  ^Egean  and  the  Cyclades,  immortal  for  lis 
all,  and  not  less  so  the  narrow  Isthmus  which  joins 
Greece  proper  to  the  Peloponnesus,  and  upon  which 
the  city  of  Corinth  sat  like  a  queen.  It  was  said  of 
it,  that  it  was  in  a  military  point  of  view  the  eye  of 
Greece,  as  Athens  was  intellectually.  Yet  no  moral 
soil  could  have  been  less  promising  for  the  planting 
of  the  truth  of  God.  For  Corinth  was  so  unclean 
and  so  voluptuous  that  "  to  Corinthianize"  meant  to 
be  utterly  bad.  Yet  a  Christian  Church  was  founded 
there,  to  which  the  Apostle  Paul  sent  two  of  his 


DR.  CRAWFORD. 


11 


most  important  Epistles.  Titus  the  P]vaiinvlist  l.y 
his  request  was  making  a  visit  to  the  Church  there, 
accompanied  by  several  of  the  hrethren.  And  wi'it- 
ing  to  the  Corinthians,  Paul  says,  "  If  any  inak*^  iii- 
<|uiry  in  regard  to  these  ministers,  they  aie  tlu! 
messengers  of  the  Churches  and  the  glory  of  Christ." 
It  is  to  this  clause  I  now  (h'aw  your  attention,  "  Our 
brethren  are  the  glory  of  Christy 

Our  friend,  and  associate  in  the  ministiy,  your 
worthy  pastor,  is  one  of  these.  He  has  served  this 
church  for  thirty  years  standing  all  this  time  at  his 
post  sentinel,  counsellor,  teacher,  pastor,  ImsIioji, 
friend,  and  we  are  here  to-night  to  congratulate  him 
on  the  good  Providence  of  God  which  has  thus 
ordered,  and  upon  important  work  done  here  for  the 
Master.  He  has  tai\ght,  and  warned  men.  seeking 
''to  present  them  at  last  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus." 
He  has  cried  aloud  of  the  coming  doom,  and  pointed 
to  the  refuge,  and  urgeil  men  to  run  to  it.  He  has 
been  in  charge  of  your  high  spiritual  affairs,  giving 
you  the  best  of  his  brain  and  heart,  of  his  time,  of 
his  acquisitions,  of  his  ripest  years.  It  cannot  all 
have  been  in  vain, — nay  rather  may  we  not  believe 
you  will  be  his  crown  on  the  coronation  day- 
Let  me  call    vour    att(uition    to  this    remarkable 


112  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

phrase  of  Paul,  "  Our  brethren — the  glory  of  Christ," 
The  common  explanation  of  it  is  that  "  the  ministry 
is  an  honor  to  the  Gospel,  and  are  greatly  instru- 
mental in  promoting  the  glory  of  the  Saviour  " — 
that  they  are  the  glory  of  Christ  just  as  all  Chris- 
tians are,  in  this  that  they  aim  to  honor  Him  by 
their  holy  living,  by  their  diligence  and  success  in 
duty,  and  by  their  love  and  loyalty  to  Him. 

But  I  cannot  think  that  this  account  of  these 
remarkable  words  exhausts  their  meaning.  They 
make  a  special  statement  not  in  regard  to  the  Church 
at  large,  but  the  ministry.  Whatever  the  words 
mean,  they  affirm  it  of  the  men  whom  the  Son  of 
God  has  sent  to  preach  His  Gospel,  and  I  do  not  find 
that  they  are  used  either  of  the  Old  Testament 
levites  or  prophets,  or  priests— ^but  of  the  Christian 
ministry.  We  are  speaking  now  not  of  the  men, 
but  of  the  order  taken  as  a  distinct  and  separate 
class,  and  the  assertion  is  that  "  they  are  the  glory 
of  Christ." 

I.  In  this  that  they  make  actual  in  fact,  and 
historically  for  all  time  the  Saviour's  own  ideal  of 
the  way  in  which  the  world  must  be  reached  by  His 
Gospel. 

There  are  other  ways  conceivable  by  us  in  which 


T)i;.  r'RAWFORD. 


113 


He  could  have  reached  His  end.  He  might,  for 
example,  have  sent  the  seraphs  who  would  gladly 
and  with  swiftest  feet  have  run  on  such  an  errandry. 
Or  He  might  have  ordered  an  inspired  commission 
to  sit  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem  through  the  years,  to 
whom  from  far  and  near  men  might  have  come  to 
learn  the  truth;  or  He  might  have  put  forth  a 
secret  influence  on  the  minds  of  men  by  His  Holy 
Spirit  so  that  they  could  have  been  saved. 

But  of  all  the  possibilities  that  were  present  to 
His  mind  to  secure  His  end,  Jesus  fixed  upon  this  of 
the  human  ministry,  and  certainly  for  some  sufficient 
reason.  It  is  remarkable  that  He  limited  Himself 
to  this,  and  that  He  gave  no  leave  to  His  Church  to 
adopt  any  other  ])lan,  whatever  her  condition  might 
at  any  juncture  or  crisis  seem  to  demand.  Ht* 
would  risk  all — if  I  may  so  put  it — on  this.  Then 
He  disappeared,  going  away  to  the  sky,  and  having 
in  fact  said  to  the  apostles — I  leave  in  your  hands 
this  great  affair ;  I  depend  upon  you  ;  my  commission 
to  you  is  beyond  recall  ;  this  lost  world  must  be 
reached  even  to  the  last  man  before  I  can  return  to 
close  the  affairs  of  My  Kingdom  here  and  to  settle 
the  destinies  of  all  men.  You  may  not  lean  on  any 
human    arm,    nur    make    any   league    with    earthly 


114  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

kingdoms  to  secure  your  success.  "  I  will  give  you 
a  mouth  and  wisdom,  which  all  your  adversaries 
shall  not  be  able  to  gainsay  nor  resist,"  and  you 
shall  receive  such  an  enduement  of  power  as  shall 
make  you  equal ^to  your  great  task,  and  men  shall 
know  Me  through  you.  Nothing  like  this,  nothing 
approaching  this,  was  ever  said  to  any  but  to  the 
apostles,  and  so  through  them  to  the  line  of  the 
''  Ministry  of  Reconciliation,"  as  Paul  calls  them. 

Now,  for  men,  mere  men,  to  stand  in  any  such 
relation  to  the  Son  of  God  as  this,  to  have  Him  fall- 
ing back,  if  I  may  so  say,  on  them,  the  Infinite  upon 
the  finite,  this  is  indeed  for  them  to  be  "  the  glory 
of  Christ."  One  would  think  that  man  could  hardly 
be  pushed  to  such  prominence,  even  with  God  be- 
hind him.  How  can  anything  so  dark,  so  limp,  so 
much  in  disarray  as  even  sanctified  manhood  is,  be 
relied  upon  for  a  task  so  "  huge"  *  as  this  ?  If 
you  lift  the  ministry  into  a  priesthood — if  that  would 
even  be  lifting  it — or  if  you  sink  it  into  a  mere  as- 
■  sociation  of  good  men,  who  with  no  authority  but 
simply  fired  with  zeal  go  out  to  reclaim  and  save 
this  wandering  and  fractured  humanity  of  ours,  you 
have  shorn  it  of  its  strengh,  and  made  it  other  than 


*  The  adjective  is  Archbisliop  Leighton's. 


DR.  CRAWFORD.  llo 

the  Lord  Jesus  made  it.  It  is  doul)tfiil  if  it  couM 
do  the  work  to  be  done,  and  whether  it  would  in- 
deed realize  the  Saviour's  ideal. 

II.  The  Christian  ministry  is  the  glory  of  Christ 
in  that  they  serve  in  this  which  is  His  own  Economy, 
and  carry  a  special  commission  from  Him  so  to  do. 

In  this  very  Epistle,  and  in  that  to  the  Hebrews 
as  well,  Paul  argues  the  temporary  character  of  the 
former  dispensation,  giving  the  reasons  why  it  could 
not  continue  :  "It  waxed  old ;"  it  was  cut  con- 
stantly by  the  tootn  of  Time.  It  made  nothing  per- 
fect. It  could  not  purify  the  conscience  of  any 
worshipper.  It  was  the  ministration  of  condemna- 
tion. Outwardly  it  was  decked  and  fair.  The 
pattern  of  it  all  was  shown  to  Moses  on  the  Mount. 
There  was  blue,  and  purple  and  scarlet  fine-twined 
linen.  The  cloud  of  fragrant  incense  was  ever  going 
uf),  and  through  the  years  the  ground  round  about 
the  altars  was  red  and  wet  with  the  blood  of  sacri- 
fice. If  any  religion  whose  glory  lay  in  externals 
bade  fair  to  stand,  it  was  that  old  Economy.  But  it 
did  not.  It  could  not.  It  was  not  in  vain.  To  say 
that  would  be  to  reflect  upon  God  himself.  It  did 
not  die  before  its  time,  and  it  was  no  dishonor  for  it 
to  die  then.     It  is  no  shame  to  the  ephemera  that 


116  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

they  dance  in  the  sun  for  a  day  only,  and  that  they 

have  no  yesterday  and  no  to-morrow.     The  things 

which  God   has  made,  and   which  touch  tlieir  goal, 

may  not  be  rated  low.     And  so  the  Mosaic  system 

is  to  be   reverently  conceived  of,  for  it  fulfilled  its 

mission.     But  the  kingdom  of  the  Son  of  God  rose 

upon  its  ruins,  never  to  know  decline. 

"  Deem  not  the  irrevocable  past 
As  wholly  wasted,  wholly  vain, 
If  rising  on  its  wrecks  at  last 
To  something  nobler  we  attain." 

For  He  Himself  whose  are  the  everlasting  years 
is  its  base,  and  corner  stone,  and  cap-stone  as  well. 
His  is  this  new  era  which  nearly  two  thousand 
years  ago  dawned  upon  our  globe,  and  the  Chris- 
tianity which  shines  now  in  its  splendor,  original  as 
it  is,  and  radiant  with  spiritual  beauty  as  it  is,  is 
His.  It  is  the  working  out  of  His  own  divine 
thought,  the  product  at  once  of  His  wisdom  and  of 
His  mighty  power.  The  mystic  force  which  is  so 
pilainly  in  it,  and  before  which  nothing  that  was  in 
its  way  has  been  able  to  stand,  all  tells  of  Him.  It 
has  all  the  elements  of  a  world's  religion.  In  its 
author  there  was  nothing  narrow  nor  limited.  Jew 
though  He  was.  He  had  no  distinguishing  marks  of 
the  men  of  His  nation.     Nothino-  was  more  remark- 


DR.  CRAWFORD.  117 

able  as  a  feature  of  His  divino-human  character  than 
its  univer.saUty.  He  was  not  representative  of  any 
class  or  nation.  He  was  not  oriental  in  any  pecu- 
liar way  in  His  teaching.  Indeed,  He  drew  all  men 
to  Him,  and  all  this  was  His  glory  in  view  of  the 
errand  which  brought  Him  here.  His  thought  em- 
braced humanity.  He  stood  central  amid  the  univer- 
sal wreck  to  rescue,  to  lift  up,  to  build  into  the  dark 
interstices  which  men  call  ruins,  to  restore  that 
which  He  took  not  away. 

This  present  Economy  of  Grace  is  His  in  a  very 
special  and  real  way.  Jesus,  says  the  apostle,  is 
the  author  of  our  faith.  And  in  this  the  Christian 
ministry  is  appointed  to  serve.  x\nd  that,  not  in 
any  merely  tentative  way  or  as  an  experiment,  and 
as  being  one  of  several  agencies  that  might  have  been 
tested,  but  as  the  one  and  only  agency  preferred  by 
the  Lord  Himself,  and  relied  upon  by  Him  for  reach- 
ing the  whole  world  with  His  salvation.  And  for 
this  purpose  they  carry  His  personal  commission, 
and  so  they  are  indeed  His  glory,  as  our  verse  de- 
clares. Back  of  them  is  He,  the  authority  that 
sends,  and  sanctions,  and  supports.  Our  Church 
refuses  the  notion  of  what  is  called  the  "Apostolical 
Succession,"   as   that   phrase  is   usually    explained. 


118  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

At  the  same  time  it  is  certain  that  in  all  the  past 
there  has  been  a  plurality  of  Presbyters  who  have 
been  the  historic  channels  through  which  the  minis- 
terial power  and  authority  have  come.  If  the  chain 
which  unites  the  ministry  to  the  Lord  Jesus  be 
broken  in  fact,  so  that  we  are  historically  cut  off 
from  Him,  the  divine  authority  is  lost  to  the  minis- 
try. But  the  chain  cannot  be  broken.  It  has  never 
been  a-wanting.  The  Master  Himself,  the  author  of 
our  faith,  still  lives,  and  the  ministry  serves  under 
Him  in  this  His  own  preferred  economy.  The  sound 
of  His  feet  is  heard  behind  them.  They  do  what 
He  would  be  doinii;  were  He  here,  blowinii;  the  trum- 
pets  of  alarm,  lifting  up  their  voice  for  God,  publish- 
ing the  good  news  from  the  far-away  country,  looking 
for  the  lost. 

iVnd  it  is  a  special  feature  of  their  official  work 
that  they  speak  to  men  on  His  behalf.  Preaching 
is  the  thing  in  chief  in  this  Economy,  not  ritual,  not 
studied  scenic  eifect,  not  the  blare  of  sound,  not 
architecture,  not  any  complicated  machinery,  not 
guilds  and  brotherhoods,  but  preaching.  It  has 
'■  pleased  God  by  the  foolishness  of  preaching  to  save 
them  that  believe." 

And  this  is  a  point  of  contrast  between  the  min- 


DR.  CRAWFORD.  119 

istry  of  tlie  religion  of  the  Son  of  God  and  the  prie.^ts 
of  the  past.  Theirs  were  the  smoking  altars,  and 
the  knives  of  sacrifice,  and  the  swinging  censers,  and 
the  endless  routine,  all  of  which  belong  to  the  reli- 
gion of  the  outward.  The  functions  of  this  later 
dispensation  of  the  Spirit  are  other  than  theirs. 
Now,  we  are  commissioned  to  plead  with  our  fellow- 
men  on  God's  behalf,  to  use  the  tongue  which  is  the 
glory  of  man  in  an  effort  to  win  them  all  for  Him. 
"As  ye  go,  preach,"  is  the  command.  We  speak, 
and  we  are  the  only  animal  that  does.  Our  God 
speaks,  and  He  is  the  only  Deity  that  does.  Jesus 
spake  on  the  mountain-top,  trom  the  stern  of  the 
boat,  to  the  men  on  the  road,  in  the  synagogue,  in 
the  Temple.  This  was  His  method  and  His  glory, 
and  the  ministry  is  His  glory  in  that  He  is  heard 
through  them.  And  His  line  is  nearest  to  parallel 
with  that  of  the  Son  of  God,  who,  with  the  equip- 
ment of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  with  the  oil  of  His 
formal  anointing  upon  Him,  runs  to  this  lost  world 
with  the  messages  of  mercy. 

There  never  has  been  an  Economy  like  this  under 
which  we  are.  There  never  was  a  now  like  this, 
never  such  a  full-tide  glory  as  this  noon  of  this  Gos- 
pel day.     Indeed,  it  makes  the  greatest  matter  under 


120  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

which  king  we  serve,  under  what  conditions  we  play 
our  part  and  do  our  life-work.  No  Jewish  priest, 
even  though  mitred,  and  though  attired  in  the  holy 
garments,  filled  any  such  niche  as  he  fills  under  the 
Gospel,  who  is  the  glory  of  Christ,  and  who  serves 
amid  these  stately  sanctities  of  the  New  Covenant. 
The  ancient  priest  stood  in  the  shade  and  wrought 
in  the  twilight,  and  saw  almost  nothing  that  lay  be- 
yond that  near,  wide  rim  which  fenced  Judea  off 
from  the  dark-wide  world  without.  It  was,  indeed, 
a  long  line  in  which  He  registered,  and  it  had  noth- 
ing as  its  equal  or  its  like  in  the  earth  anywhere. 
And  it  may  well  be  that  but  for  that  ancient  priest- 
hood, and  that  religion  with  which  it  was  interwoven, 
the  Church  of  to-day  would  have  been  impossible. 
It  was  all  of  God,  and  had  a  splendor  and  a  use  of 
its  own,  so  that  we  owe  it  much.  But  it  is  better  to 
l>e  now,  better  to  serve  now  as  a  minister,  and  to  be 
in  so  serving  the  "  glory  of  the  Son  of  God." 

III.  The  Christian  ministry  is  the  glory  of  Christ 
also  in  this,  that  they  serve  in  the  last  Economy  of 
all. 

We  have  received  "  a  kingdom  which  cannot  be 
moved,"  says  the  apostle.  Whatever  view  be  taken 
of  the  coming  of  the  Lord,  whether  it  will  be  before 


Dll.  ClIAWFolU).  121 

or  after  the  ]\Iillennium,  it  i.s  certain  that  at  th(! 
close  of  the  present  era  of  grace  Jesii!*  will  appear. 
So  that  the  ministry  is  His  in  an  important  sense, 
His  forerunner,  heralding  Him,  hivaking  nj>  His 
way,  saying  to  the  people  that  they  should  believe 
on  Him  who  is  coming  after,  that  is  on  Christ  Jesus. 
We,  unworthy  we,  limp,  limited,  naught  in  our- 
selves, are  serving  Him  under  th(>  urgency  of  the 
last  times  with  a  globe  upon  our  hands,  for  the  evan- 
gelization of  which  we  are  res})onsible,  not  reached 
yet  by  at  least  eight  hundred  and  fifty  millions  of 
its  immortal  tenantry.  All  the  lack  of  the  old  Mo- 
saic Economy  can  be  easily  made  good  by  this 
which  has  followed  it.  It  carried  in  itself  the 
seeds  and  pledges  of  its  own  decay.  The  moths, 
God's  moths,  which  had  waited  so  long  for  the 
priestly  robes  of  glory  and  beauty,  came  at  last  to 
fret  them  away.  But  lack  now  in  us  who  ai'e  at 
work  in  this  crowning  Economy  is  final  lack,  so  far 
as  we  can  see.  So  that  the  pressure  upon  the  evan- 
gelical ministry  of  to-day  is  great  indeed.  And  they 
are  the  glory  of  Christ  largely  in  this  very  fact. 

We  are  just  now  upon  the  edge  not  of  a  new  year 
only,  but  of  the  new  century.  The  much  that  has 
been  already  done,  and  of  which  your  pastoi-  made 


122  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

such  admirable  mention  this  morning,  suggests  the 
more  that  remains  to  be  done.  Everywhere,  in  these 
later  years,  the  haste  and  push  are  very  great  along 
all  the  lines.  And  who  shall  say  how  far  all  this 
may  be  indicative  of  the  quick  coming  of  the  end. 


\VM.  M.  LOCAN. 


123 


"THE  ADVANTAGES  OE  A  LONG  PASTORATE." 


BY 


REV.  WM.  H.  LOGAN. 

I  am  verv  happv  to  be  with  you  on  this  interest- 
ing occasion,  and  congratulate  both  [tastor  and  people 
on  having  lived  together  for  thirty  years  in  ecclesi- 
astical bonds,  which  are  almost  as  sacred  as  the 
marriage  tie.  Having  been  acquainted  with  this 
Church  nearly  all  my  life  ;  my  sisters  being  con- 
nected with  it,  and  my  wife  having  been  a  member 
of  it  three  different  times,  and  being  very  intimately 
acquainted  with  the  pastor  for  thirty  years,  it  is  only 
natural  that  I  should  feel  a  very  deep  interest  in  this 
celebration,  and  gladly  add  what  I  can  to  the  general 
rejoicing. 

It  was  also  my  })rivilege  to  preach  the  last  sermon 
in  the  old  church  before  it  was  taken  down  to  give 
place  to  this  handsome  and  convenient  edifice. 

My  first  recollection  of  Carlisle  was  in  being  taken 
by  my  mother  to  the  old  Seceder  church,  on  West 
street,  and  trying  to  peer  over  the  high-backed  pews 
at  Rev.  Mr.  Simpson  before  my  feet  could  touch  the 


124  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

floor.  Being  born  and  bred  in  the  deepest-blue 
Presbyterianism,  and  taught  to  sing  the  Psalms  in 
Rouse's  version  (though  it  would  bother  me  now  to 
line  them  out),  I  have  come  by  inheritance,  as  well 
as  by  mature  judgment,  to  the  firm  conviction  that 
Presbyterianism  is  the  best  form  of  Church  Govern- 
ment and  Polity  on  earth. 

By  the  way,  the  Seceder  Church  in  this  town  dis- 
appeared long  ago — its  members  either  going  to 
Heaven  or  to  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  Church ; 
but  there  is  a  tradition  that  many  of  them  thought 
Mr.  McGill  was  "  a  little  off  color"  when  he  left 
them  to  become  pastor  at  the  corner  of  Hanover  and 
Pomfret  streets. 

As  the  pastorate  of  Dr.  Norcross  has  been  such  a 
long  one — covering  nearly  half  the  years  of  the  ex- 
istence of  the  Second  Church — perhaps  an  appro- 
priate topic  for  me  to  discuss  in  the  short  time  allotted 
me  would  be  "  The  Advantages  of  a  Long  Pastorate." 

While  permanency  is  so  desirable,  the  fact  is  that 
in  all  the  Churches  adopting  the  permanent  pas- 
torate, the  average  pastorate  does  not  much  exceed 
the  term  limit  of  five  years,  which  obtains  in  some 
of  the  Churches  which  adopt  the  itinerancy. 

Many  things  conspire  to  render  the  pastorate  in- 


WM.   H.   LOGAN.  125 

secure.  Insuffieient  su})|)i)rt  is  perhaps  the  chiel' 
source  of  this  unrest.  Youno-  men  who  begin  with 
small  churches  want  to  do  better  for  themselves. 
When  a  man  has  preached  three  or  five  years  in  a 
place  he  often  feels  that  he  has  about  exhausted  his 
mental  resources  on  that  pe()[)li',  and  that  he  has 
presented  all  the  chief  heads  of  theology,  and  in 
another  field  he  can  use  his  acquired  capital  with 
freshness  and  added  experience.  Then  the  easy 
facilities  of  travel ;  the  long  vacation  ;  the  desire  of 
novelty ;  the  constand  trend  of  population  to  the 
large  towns  and  cities,  where  so  many  social,  literary, 
musical  and  aesthetic  advantages  are  to  be  enjoyed, 
all  tend  to  render  men  discontented  with  what  seems 
the  slow  and  steady  grind  of  three  new  addresses 
every  week,  with  little  apparent  result,  and  scarcely 
ever  a  fellow-minister  to  come  to  their  relief. 

No  profession  demands  such  a  constant  and  steady 
drain  on  the  intellectual  resources  and  sym[)athies 
of  a  man  as  the  ministry,  when,  at  least,  three  times 
a  week  he  must  appear  before  the  same  audience 
with  something  new  and  interesting.  The  lawyer, 
the  physician,  the  lecturer,  the  teacher,  has  a  new 
audience  frequently,  or  a  concrete  subject,  but  the 


126  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

minister  generally  addres.ses  the  same  audience  and 
has  to  preach  on  an  abstract  theme. 

It  is  easy  to  get  both  subjects  and  abundance  of 
matter,  and  it  is  a  joy  and  delight  to  preach  when 
there  is  a  lively  religious  interest  in  the  congrega- 
tion ;  but  when  weeks  and  months  go  by,  and  there 
is  not  an  inquirer,  and  the  minister  hears  no  word 
of  comment  on  his  preaching,  except  perhaps  criti- 
cism, it  is  not  surprising  that  his  courage  flags,  and 
he  looks  with  longing  eyes  to  another  field.  Then, 
with  most  men,  there  is  the  limitation  of  abilities  to 
interest  and  instruct  the  average  congregation  for  a 
long  time ;  and  the  recognition  of  this  fact  is  doubt- 
less the  principal  reason  for  the  adoption  of  the 
itinerancy.  Education  greatly  aids  a  man's  intellec- 
tual resources,  but  it  does  not  wholly  supply  his 
natural  limitations. 

In  addition  to  all  this,  there  are  the  defects  of  the 
people.  After  all.  Churches  are  human,  and  some- 
times more  human  than  humane  with  their  ministers. 
They  set  a  standard  both  for  the  man  and  his  abilities 
far  higher  than  actually  exists,  and  expect  him  to 
come  up  to  it.  Then,  when  they  are  so  unrespon- 
sive to  preaching ;  often  divided  among  themselves  ; 
give  him  so  little  spiritual  help;  are  not  punctual 


WM.   H.   LOGAN.  127 

in  his  temporal  support,  and  make  his  [)aticnt  ear 
the  receptacle  of  so  many  complaints,  and  expect 
him  to  a[>prove  their  side  of  all  contentions,  is  it  any 
wonder  there  are  so  many  short  pastorates  ?  Paul 
was  burdened  with  the  care  of  all  the  churches,  and 
Moses  shrank  from  the  labor  of  leading  Israel  to  the 
Land  of  Promise. 

Of  course,  there  are  splendid  compensations  in  the 
honor,  respect  and  love  that  is  so  generally  accorded 
to  ministers,  and,  al)ove  all,  the  consciousness  that 
he  is  serving  a  blessed  Master,  and  engaged  in  the 
noblest  and  most  exalted  calling,  and  in  the  joy  of 
turning  many  from  sin  to  holiness.  P>ut  ministers 
are  only  human,  and  do  not  always  live,  as  they 
ouccht,  in  the  hi<i-li,  clear  atmosiihere  of  faith. 

Many  other  causes  might  be  mentioned  which  tend 
to  shorten  the  pastorate,  one  specially,  the  general 
law  that  the  strong  and  aggressive  men  gravitate  to 
the  more  influential  churclu\-<,  but  any  way  you  take 
it,  frequent  changes  are  an  injury  to  a  church.  The 
permanent  pastorate  has  decided  advantages  both  to 
minister  and  people. 

The  men  who  have  had  the  greatest  [)ennanent 
influence  have  been  those  who  remained  longest  in 
one  charge.     Manv  nien  have  done  good  work,  and 


128  A  TIIIETIETH  ANNIVEESARY. 

been  popular,  who  only  spent  a  f^hort  time  in  a  place  ; 
but  their  influence  and  work  has  not  been  perma- 
nent and  conserved  like  those  who  remained  longer. 
Carlisle^  Presbytery  has  had  a  notable  list  of  long 
pastorates.  Rev.  James  Snodgrass,  of  Hanover 
Church,  was  perhaps  the  longest,  1788  to  1846, 
fifty-eight  years — his  whole  ministerial  life.  Hano- 
ver Church  has  disappeared  from  the  list  of  churches, 
because  the  whole  congregation  emigrated.  James 
Sharon,  of  Paxton  and  Derry,  thirty-six  years.  Dr. 
Creigh,  of  blessed  memory,  Mercersburg,  forty-nine 
years.  Dr.  Davidson,  First  Church,  Carlisle,  1785 
-1812,  twenty-seven  years.  David  Denny,  Falling 
Springs,  Chambersburg,  1800-1838,  thirty-eight 
years.  Dr.  DeWitt,  Harrisburg,  forty-seven  years. 
John  Elder,  Paxton,  iifty-three  years.  Ptobert  S. 
Grier,  Tom's  Creek  and  Piney  Creek,  fifty-one  years. 
James  Harper,  Shippensburg,  thirty  years.  Rev. 
Dr.  John  King,  Mercersburg,  1769-1811,  forty- 
two  years.  Robert  Kennedy,  Welsh  Run  and  Pres- 
bytery, forty  years.  John  Linn,  Upper  and  Centre, 
forty-two  years.  Dr.  McConaughey,  Gettysburg, 
1800-1832,  thirty-two  years.  Amos  McGinley,  Path 
Valley,  1803-1851,  forty-eight  years.  John  Moodey, 
Middle  Spring,  1803-1854,  fifty-one  years.     Robert 


WM.  II.  LOGAN.  129 

McCachren,  Newville,  1831-1851,  twenty  years. 
George  Morris,  Silver  Spring,  1840-1860,  twenty 
years.  Jos.  A.  Murray,  Monaghan,  1841-1858, 
seventeen  years.  A.  D.  Mitchell,  Paxton,  1850-1874, 
twenty-four  years.  Wm.  Paxton,  Marsh  Creek, 
forty-nine  years.  T.  H.  Kobinson,  Harrisburg, 
thirty  years.  John  Steel,  of  Carlisle,  "  the  fighting 
parson"  of  the  last  century,  1759-1779,  twenty 
years.  Joshua  Williams,  Big  Spring,  1802-1829, 
twenty-seven  years.  James  C.  Watson,  Gettys- 
burg, 1832-1849,  seventeen  years.  N.  Grier  White, 
McConnellsburg,  thirty  years.  C.  P.  Wing,  First 
Church,  Carlisle — pastor,  twenty-seven  years  ;  pastor 
emeritus,  twelve  years — thirty-nine  years.  Ptobert 
Cathcart,  York,  fifty-six  years.  John  Craighead, 
Rocky  Spring,  1768-1799,  thirty-one  years. 

Among  the  ministers  still  living  there  have  been 
many  long  pastorates  :  Dr.  S.  C.  Alexander,  fourteen 
years  in  Upper  Path  Valley  and  twelve  years  in  Mil- 
lerstown.  Eev.  Dr.  J.  A.  Crawford,  Falling  Spring, 
twenty  years  pastor  and  thirteen  pastor  emeritus — 
thirty-three  years,  Dr.  Geo.  S.  Chambers,  Pine  Street, 
twenty  years.  Dr.  E.  Erskine,  Newville,  twenty- 
nine  years.  Rev.  J.  Smith  Gordon,  Lower  Path 
Valley,  forty-one  years.     Rev.  Dr.  Jas.  F.  Kennedy, 


130  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

ill  the  Presbytery,  fifty  years.  Rev.  Wm.  McCar- 
rell,  Shippensburg,  twenty-three  years.  Dr.  George 
jSTorcross,  thirty  years.  Dr.  S.  W.  Reigart,  Me- 
chanicsburg,  twenty-one  years.  Rev.  W.  S.  Van 
Cleve,  Marsh  Creek,  thirty  years.  Rev.  W.  A. 
West,  Upper  Path  Valley,  twenty — Westminster, 
seventeen — in  Presbytery — forty-five  years.  Rev. 
S.  S.  Wylie,  Middle  Spring,  twenty -seven  years. 

This  is  a  list  of  forty  names,  and  perhaps  others 
could  be  added  of  men  who  have  served  single 
churches  from  seventeen  to  fifty-eight  years  within 
the  one-time  bounds  of  Carlisle  Presbytery.  With 
a  few  exceptions,  the  churches  they  served,  or  are 
serving,  are  the  strong,  substantial  churches  of  to- 
day. 

Just  here  I  would  call  attention  to  an  article  in 
The  Presbyterian .^  of  December  7,  1898,  entitled  "  A 
Worthy  Record,"  in  which  the  writer  refers  to  the 
long  pastorates  in  the  Southern  Church  of  men  still 
living,  and  mentions  among  others  Dr.  Armstrong, 
of  Norfolk,  Va.,  who  has  been  pastor  for  forty-seven 
years  ;  Dr.  Moses  D.  Hoge,  of  Richmond,  Va.,  fifty- 
three  years  ;  Dr.  Palmer,  of  New  Orleans,  forty-two 
years  ;  Dr.  Burgett,  of  Mobile,  thirty-nine  years ; 
Dr.  Jas.  R.  Graham,  of  Winchester,  Va.,  forty-seven 


\VM.  H.   LOGAN.  131 

years;  Dr.  Jcs.  B.  Stratton,  of  Natchez,  Miss.,  fift}- 
five  years;  Dr.  Ch.  H.  Ptead,  of  Piichmond,  Va., 
forty-nine  years,  and  many  others. 

Ministers  of  national  and  lasting  reputation  liavc 
remained  a  long  time  in  one  church.  Dr.  Talmagc 
was  twenty-five  years  in  the  Brooklyn  Tabernacle  ; 
Henry  Ward  Beecher  preached  for  forty  years  in 
Brooklyn  ;  Dr.  Richard  S.  Storrs  has  been  fifty-three 
years  in  the  Church  of  the  Pilgrims,  Brooklyn ;  Dr. 
John  Hall  was  thirty  years  in  the  Fifth  Avenue 
Church,  New  York ;  Dr.  Cuyler  was  about  thirty 
years  pastor,  and  is  still  a  vigorous  preacher  and. 
writer ;  Albert  Barnes  was  nearly  forty  years  pastor 
of  the  First  Church  of  Philadelphia.  This  list  could 
be  greatly  increased,  but  enough  has  been  men- 
tioned to  show  the  influence  of  the  long  pastorate, 
both  upon  the  minister  and  the  church. 

While  some  men  of  very  moderate  ability  and  in- 
tellectual attainment  have  remained  a  long  time  in 
a  single  church,  yet  they  have  generally  been  dis- 
tinguished for  some  other  traits  of  character  which 
go  to  make  up  the  successful  pastor,  such  as  personal 
worth,  and  acknowledged  piety,  and  great  kindness 
of  heart  and  gentleness.  But  there  is  no  doubt  that 
the  great  major-ity  of  those  who  held  or  are  holding 


132  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

these  long  pastorates  are  far  above  the  average  in 
abilities — men  who  stand  in  the  very  first  rank  for 
intellectual  power  and  consecration  to  their  calling, 
and  who  are  the  peers  of  any  men  of  the  land. 

Many  of  them  were  exceedingly  able  men — of 
large  mind  and  heart,  profound  scholars,  and  some- 
times of  surpassing  eloquence — not  only  distin- 
guished a.s  theologians  and  ecclesiastics,  but  men  of 
great  literary  attainments  and  true  statesmanship, 
and  th-eir  influence  has  long  survived  them,  and  is 
being  perpetuated  in  the  men  and  women  trained 
under  their  preaching.  Their  greatest  power,  how- 
ever, lay  in  their  fidelity  to  the  Word  of  God,  and 
in  their  desire  and  ability  to  instruct  men  in  the  way 
of  life,  rather  than  in  sensation  or  desire  for  fame. 
The  closer  they  kept  to  the  great  Commission  to 
preach  the  Gospel  the  more  lasting  the  results. 

Now,  what  is  there  in  a  long  pastorate  that  helps 
to  make  men  great  and  successful  preachers  ? 

1.  First,  we  may  mention  competent  support. 
These  men  were  not  serving  mission  churches,  or,  at 
least,  they  soon  came  to  self-support.  They  either 
had  their  own  homes  and  private  means,  or  their 
congregations  gave  them  such  a  support  as  kept 
them  free  from  worldly  care  and  avocations.     Min- 


\VM.  11.   LOCxAN.  13-3 

hicvH  nowhere  in  this  country  receive  princely 
t^ahxries,  but  the  poorest  policy  the  Church  ever 
adopts  is  to  require  an  educated  ministry  to  live 
on  a  beggarly  sahuy.  Poor  support  accounts  for 
most  of  our  weak  or  vacant  churches.  But  when 
men  have  been  enabled  to  live  in  modest  comfort — 
for  that  is  all  they  have  expected  or  asked — they 
have  worked  along  contentedly.  The  very  sense  of 
security  in  their  position  has  stimulated  them  to 
give  their  people  the  best  product  of  their  brains  and 
hearts — to  feed  them  on  the  finest  of  the  wheat  from 
God's  storehouse. 

This  sense  of  security  also  gave  them  the  feeling 
that  their  life-work  w^as  to  be  done  in  one  church 
and  community.  It  identified  them  with  the  church 
until  they  very  naturally  spoke  of  the  church  and 
people  as  my  church  and  my  people — a  sense  of  real 
possession.  And  in  the  same  way  the  church  be- 
came identified  in  the  minds  of  the  people  with  the 
pastor,  until  it  was  known  not  so  much  as  the  First 
Church  of  Carlisle,  or  the  Second  Church,  but 
was  called  Dr.  Wing's  Church  or  Dr.  Norcross' 
Church.  There  is  great  gain  in  such  an  identifica- 
tion. The  minister's  pride  in  his  people  is  awakened, 
and  he  is  anxious  that  they  should  be  worthy  of  him, 


134  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

and  he  of   them.     Such  a  pastoral  relation  is  not 
shaken  loose  by  every  wind  of  difficulty  that  blows, 
but  patience,  and  tact  and  charity   are  exercised, 
which  in  the  end  confirms  the  relation  more  securely. 
Such  a  minister  comes  to  know  the  true  circum- 
stances of  his  people  by  long  acquaintance  and  more 
frequent  opportunities  to  gain  their  confidence.     He 
rejoices  in  their  prosperity,  or  sympathizes  with  them 
in  losses  and  troubles.    It  takes  a  long  time  to  gain  the 
confidence  of  some  people,  until  you  know  their  real 
circumstances — their  temptations  or  their  excellen- 
cies.   Ministers  seldom  come  to  really  know  their  peo- 
ple until  they  have  been  with  them  in  some  great  joy, 
like  at  a  wedding,  or  at  some  great  heart-break,  as 
at  a  funeral.     If,  on  such  occasions,  he  is  tactful  and 
sympathetic,  the  minister  finds  an  open  door  to  their 
inmost  hearts.     He   can   then  influence  them  as  he 
never  could  before.     But  years  often  go  by  before 
such  opportunities  are  afforded  him.     In  a  ten  years' 
pastorate,  however,  there  will  scarcely  be  a  family 
in  the  congregation,  or  in  small  communities,  where 
the  minister  will  not  be  at  least  once,  and  often  fre- 
quently the  most  highly  prized  friend,   because  he 
has  brought  to  them  the  consolations  of  the  Gospel 
in  their  extremest  need. 


WM.  ir.  LOGAN.  135 

Ministei'ti  are  specially  interested  in  those  who 
have  come  into  the  Church  through  their  ministry 
— especially  if  they  have  frequently  consulted  them 
about  their  spiritual  state  of  mind.  It  has  been  a 
matter  of  great  interest  to  watch  the  growth  in 
grace  ;  or  of  anxiety  if  there  is  danger  of  falling 
away.  And  the  convert,  too,  has  a  special  tender 
spot  in  his  heart  for  the  man  who  first  awakened 
serious  thoughts  in  his  mind,  or  led  him  to  Christ. 
Thus  there  is  a  mutual  interest  which  leads  the  min- 
ister to  set  forth  the  doctrines  of  saving  grace  in 
their  greatest  simplicity  and  beauty,  for  their  fruits 
and  results  appear  to  his  very  eyes. 

2.  A  long  pastorate  tends  to  make  a  minister  a 
broad  student  of  God's  w^ord.  Naturally,  every  one 
preaches  what  he  supposes  are  the  most  important 
doctrines,  and  if  his  stay  in  a  place  is  brief  he  has 
not  time  to  set  forth  all  of  them.  In  his  next  church 
he  will  go  over  practically  the  same  truths  ;  but  if 
he  is  staying  indefinitely  he  has  time  to  set  forth  the 
whole  counsel  of  God.  Thus  many  precious  truths 
are  presented  to  both  pastor  and  people  which  other- 
wise would  have  been  overlooked. 

The  very  necessity  of  bringing  forth  some  new 
thing  from  the  storehouse  of  God's  word  widens  his 


136  A  THIRTIETH  AXNIVERSARY. 

conception,  and  increases  his  delight  in  obtaining 
the  unsearchable  riches  of  Christ.  This  is  the  reason 
that  a  man  can  sustain  himsell",  and  be  an  interest- 
ing and  instructive  preacher  to  the  same  congrega- 
tion for  a  long  term  of  years. 

This  tends  to  make  him  a  student.  Men  are  nat- 
urally indolent.  Intellectual  labor  is  the  hardest 
kind  of  labor.  The  average  man  is  only  impelled  to 
work  by  stern  necessity.  Ministers  are  not  excep- 
tions to  this  general  characteristic.  The  reasonable 
expectation  of  an  intelligent  people,  and  the  desire 
to  appear  creditably  before  them,  are  incentives  to 
diligent  preparation,  as  well  as  the  sense  of  respon- 
sibility to  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church,  for  fidelity 
in  the  discharge  of  his  great  office.  Therefore,  he 
must  read  and  study,  and  diligent  habits  must  be 
cultivated.  He  must  be  constantly  acquiring  if  he 
would  bring;  forth  thino;s  both  new  and  old.  His 
studies,  too,  will  take  a  wide  range.  A  new  book 
that  helps  him  to  interest  his  people  will  be  read 
with  delio;ht. 

Just  here  it  may  be  said,  that  one  of  the  best 
ihings  the  Second  Church  of  Carlisle  ever  did  was 
to  begin  the  collection  of  a  "  Pastor's  Library"  when 
Dr.  Norcross  was  installed,  and  take  up  a  collection 


WM.   II.   LOdAN.  137 

for  it  every  year  since  then.  Tiiis  is  now,  jk'1'1ui])s, 
the  choicest  library  in  the  Presbytery.  It  gave  tlie 
pastor  the  means  and  incentive  to  buy  the  books  he 
needed  and  desired  at  the  time,  and  in  which  he  was 
then  specially  interested.  For  if  you  do  not  read  ;t 
book  when  you  greatly  desire  to  see  it,  or  if  you  read 
when  you  are  not  interested  in  it,  it  does  you  little 
good.  This  library,  and  the  stimulus  to  private 
purchase,  has  [)Ut  much  of  the  best  thought  of  the 
age  within  his  reach,  and  this  Church  has  reaped  the 
great  benefit  of  his  studies  in  the  model  sermons  he 
has  given  you,  and  it  has  made  him  one  of  the  most 
scholarly,  accomplished,  forceful  and  interesting  min- 
isters in  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

It  would  be  a  great  blessing  and  gain  if  all  our 
churches  would  establish  and  maintain  pastor's 
libraries.  It  would  do  much  to  lengthen  the  pas- 
torate, by  giving  the  minister  tlu;  means  of  bringing 
much  fresh,  interesting  and  timely  matter  into  his 
pulpit  ministrations.  Then,  too,  it  widens  his  scope 
of  subjects  for  conversation  in  pastoral  and  social  vis- 
iting. We  naturally  talk  about  things  that  are  fresh 
in  our  minds,  and  which  arrest  attention.  He  can 
often  |)ut  a  good  book  in  the  hand  of  a  friend,  and 
cultivate  a  taste  for  readina:,  and  make  him  a  more 


138  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

interested  listener  to  his  sermons.  It  is  far  more 
satisfactory  and  stimulating  to  preach  to  attentive 
and  intelligent  people  than  to  the  dull  and  ignorant. 
3.  Another  advantage  of  the  long  pastorate  is, 
that  the  minister  watches  the  growth  and  develop- 
ment of  the  children.  He  feels  a  special  interest  in 
those  he  has  baptized.  As  they  grow  up  and  come 
to  the  Infant  Class,  and  into  the  Sunday-school  and 
to  church,  he  calls  them  by  their  first  or  pet  names, 
and  they  associate  the  .church  and  religion  with  him, 
for  they  really  have  never  known  any  other  pastor, 
and,  in  many  cases,  seldom  hear  any  other  minister 
preach.  He  becomes  interested  in  their  studies,  and 
the  choice  of  a  profession,  and  is  often  consulted  by 
parents  as  to  the  school  or  college  to  which  they 
should  send  their  children.  Many  men  and  many 
women  owe  it  to  their  pastor  that  they  received  a 
liberal  education,  and  hold  the  honorable  position 
in  society  they  now  enjoy.  When  the  minister  recog- 
nizes a  bright  boy  or  girl  in  the  family,  and  speaks 
of  them  approvingly,  a  gentle  hint  to  parents  has  in- 
duced them  to  send  them  to  school  and  start  them 
on  the  road  to  wide  usefulness  or  fame.  Ministers 
have  ever  been  the  chief  promoters  of  higher  educa- 
tion, and  there  can  be  no  successful  common  school 


WM.  n.  lo(;an.  139 

c'ducalion  without  the  High  School  :\ud  the  College. 

People  do  not  appreciate  how  much  of  their  edu- 
cation and  refinement,  and  of  the  amenities  of  life;, 
they  owe  to  the  educated,  conscientious  ministers. 
Why,  to  listen  regularly  every  Sabbath  through  a 
course  of  years  to  a  minister  of  ability  and  thorough 
scholarship,  is  in  itself  a  liberal  education. 

4.  The  development  of  benevolence  is  another 
great  advantage  of  the  long  pastorate.  If  you  will 
examine  the  statistics  of  the  General  Assembly  you 
will  find  that  the  churches  which  make  the  largest 
contributions  to  the  various  Boards  and  Agencies  of 
the  Church  are  the  ones  which  seldom  change  pas- 
tors. This  is  notably  so  in  Carlisle  Presbytery. 
When  a  church  is  vacant,  or  frequently  has  a  new 
pastor,  the  revenues  and  benevolence  fall  off.  It 
usually  takes  a  church  at  least  a  year  to  get  a  new 
pastor,  and  that  means  a  great  deal  of  uncertainty 
and  irregularity.  Whereas  the  regular  pastor  has 
stated  times  or  methods  for  gathering  these  benevo- 
lent offerings.  He  feels  interested  to  develop  the 
spirit  of  benevolence  among  his  people.  Frequently 
calls  their  attention  to  it,  and  stimulates  therii  to  do 
better  from  year  to  year,  and  thus  the  aggregate 
contributions   increase,  and   his   church   becomes  a 


140  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

perennial  fountain  of  benevolence.  Under  this  long 
and  faithful  instruction  the  charity  of  many  a  saint 
has  been  developed.  Few  people  remember  their 
Lord's  work  in  their  wills  who  have  not  been  cheer- 
ful contributors  to  it  while  living. 

5.  Another  advantage  of  the  long  pastorate  is, 
that  the  people  reap  the  benefit  of  the  ripened  learn- 
ing, observation  and  experience  of  their  pastor. 
People  generally  want  an  old  and  experienced  law- 
yer, physician  and  general,  but  it  is  remarkable  how 
many  prefer  the  young  and  callow  preacher.  Ex- 
perience is  just  as  valuable  in  the  preacher  as  it  is 
in  any  other  calling  or  profession.  Trials,  failures, 
successes,  teach  us  a  great  many  useful  lessons.  The 
pastor  of  observation,  experience  and  prudence 
avoids  or  overcomes  many  a  difficulty,  where  the 
rash  man  would  simply  butt  his  head  against  a  stone 
wall.     "  Old  men  for  counsel,  young  men  for  action." 

What  relief  it  is  to  a  church  to  feel  that  it  has  not 
periodically  to  select  a  new  minister  !  Churches  do 
not  thrive  well  on  novelty.  Brilliant  and  sensa- 
tional men  never  stay  long  in  one  place.  Neither 
do  men  who  are  technically  called  revival  preachers. 
They  cannot  long  sustain  the  high  tension  of  that 
kind  of  preaching,  and  when  the  special  interest  or 


\VM.   H.   LOGAN.  141 

excitement  abates,  and  the  affairs  of  the  ehureh 
move  only  in  the  normal  way,  they  g-et  discouraged, 
and  seek  another  field. 

It  is  only  men  of  endurance — men  of  equitable 
temper,  who  are  capable  of  plodding  ;  who  can  sow  the 
seed,  and  be  content  to  wait  God's  time  for  the  harvest; 
who  are  not  easily  discouraged  ;  who  do  not  need 
to  call  in  the  Presbytery  to  settle  their  difficulties ; 
who  have  not  such  a  high  and  mighty  opinion  of 
their  own  judgment  that  their  resignation  will  be 
tendered  if  the  congregation  does  not  always  do 
what  they  want  done  ;  but  who  have  tact  and  dis- 
cretion to  bear  and  forbear — it  is  only  such  men 
who  are  either  fitted  by  nature  or  grace  to  remain 
long  in  one  church,  and  render  acceptable  service. 
Dr.  Jas.  L.  Valandingham,  of  New  Castle  Presby- 
tery, preached  at  the  Head  of  Christiana  church  for 
forty  years,  during  which  time  three  self-sustaining 
churches  grew  out  of  his  charge.  When  he  resigned 
a  few  years  ago  it  was  very  truthfully  said  of  him, 
that  the  Lord  had  endowed  him  with  a  double  por- 
tion of  good,  common  sense,  or  he  never  could  have 
stayed  so  long  in  one  place. 

It  speaks  well  for  the  scholarship,  industry,  fidel- 
ity and  good  sense  of  a  man  when    the    people  will 


142  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

bear  with  his  human  weaknesses,  and  listen  to  him 
patiently  through  a  long  course  of  years,  and  it  is 
just  as  complimentary  to  a  congregation  and  to 
their  credit  that  their  minister  is  willing  to  spend  a 
life  time  with  them,  and  bear  with  their  murmur- 
ings,  and  neglects,  and  follies. 

It  is  not  to  the  credit  of  a  congregation  to  fre- 
quently change  pastors — they  did  not  make  a  wise 
choice,  or  have  not  treated  him  well.  On  the  score 
of  human  weakness  ''  honors  are  very  easy  "  between 
pastors  and  people.  It  is  usually  well  for  both  to 
remember  the  wisdom  of  Hamlet  and 

rather  bear  those  ills  ue  have, 
Than  My  to  others  that  we  know  not  of. 

Among  the  sisterhood  of  Churches  the  Presby- 
terian stands  conspicuous  for  the  formation  of  char- 
acter, for  the  development  of  individual  liberty, 
responsibility  and  personal  worth.  A  man  has  no 
better  passport  to  confidence  and  respectful  consider- 
ation than  to  have  it  said  of  him,  "  He  is  a  consistent 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  Church."  Though  Pres- 
byterians are  not  the  largest  body  numercially 
(standing  perhaps  5th  or  6th),  yet  they  are  doing 
more  than  the  fourth  part  of  all  the  Foreign  Mis- 
sion work  of  the  world,  and  are  by  far  the    largest 


W.M.   H.    LOilAN.  143 

contributors  to  the  general  benevolence  of  the  world. 

The  doctrine  of  Divine  Sovereignty  ;  the  educated 
ministry,  and  the  permanent  pastorate  have  been 
the  chief  factors  in  developing  and  sustaining  such 
a  character.  No  other  church  can  show  such  a  gen- 
eral high  average  character  of  her  individual  mem- 
bership. The  influences  are  mutual.  The  doctrine 
and  polity  tends  and  aims  to  build  ii})  such  a  char- 
acter, and  people  of  clear  heads,  who  do  their  own 
thinking,  are  drawn  to  such  a  church.  Thus  it 
comes  to  pass  that  Presbyterians  everywhere  have 
their  denominational  stamp,  and  they  are  proud  of 
it,  and  it  is  no  small  privilege  and  honor  to  be  a 
member  of  such  a  church,  or  to  lie  permitted  to 
minister  to  them.  Men  like  Dr.  Archibald  Alex- 
ander and  Dr.  Samuel  Miller,  who  were  each  forty 
years,  and  Dr.  Charles  Hodge  who  was  fifty  years, 
instructors  in  Princeton  Seminary,  have  left  an  in- 
delible impression  on  the  ministry  and  membershij> 
of  the  whole  Presbyterian  denomination. 

'6.  Did  time  permit,  we  could  speak  of  the  value 
of  the  long  pastorate  to  the  Presbytery.  As  a  rule, 
the  men  who  have  given  character  and  reinitation 
to  the  Presbytery  have  been  those  who  have  been 
longest  in  service.     Their  laces  beciwne  familiar  to 


144  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

the  churches.  They  were  honored  and  respected^ 
and  the  community  accepted  their  deliverances  as 
wise  and  prudent.  Amid  the  constant  changes  go- 
ing on  in  Presbytery,  how  often  we  hear  people  say, 
"  We  don't  know  many  of  the  ministers  now."  The 
familiar  faces  and  voices  of  the  fathers  are  gone,  and 
it  is  said,  "  We  don't  know  the  new  men."  Thus 
the  social  power  of  the  Presbytery  declines,  and 
doubtless  this  is  one  reason  why  churches  are  not 
more  anxious  to  entertain  the  Presbytery — it  is  not 
like  a  meeting  of  old  friends. 

The  Christian  ministry  is  the  most  exalted  and 
responsible  office  among  men.  Paul  regarded  it  as 
the  greatest  grace  of  Christ  to  him  ;  and  his  con- 
suming desire  was  to  be  found  faithful  to  his  trust. 
His  reward  was  the  approval  of  his  Master,  and  the 
conversion  of  many  souls.  So  the  man  who,  through 
many  years,  has  been  the  religious  guide  and  in- 
structor of  his  people ;  who  has  "  allured  men  to 
heaven,  and  led  the  way,"  is  worthy  of  all  congratu- 
lation and  honor.  Happy  in  doing  good,  and  imi- 
tating his  Master,  "he  ne'er  has  changed  or  wished 
to  change  his  place."  Men  gladly  rise  up  and  do 
him  honor. 


W.  T.  L.  KIEFFER.  145 


"WHAT  1  KNOW  ABOUT  THIS  CHURCH  AND  PASTOR: 


BY 


REV.  W.  T.  L.  KIEFFER. 

My  personal  acquaintance  with  this  church  dates 
back  to  1867.  I  was  then  a  timid  youth,  with  strong 
innate  Presbyterian  procHvities,  which  caused  me 
occasionally  to  play  truant  from  the  Reformed 
Church,  where  my  family  belonged,  and  drop  into  a 
rear  pew  in  the  old  Second  Presbyterian  Church  to 
hear  Dr.  Bliss  preach.  Personal  acquaintance  with 
the  pastor,  whose  thirtieth  anniversary  we  are  now 
observing,  began  in  the  winter  of  1873  ;  and  during 
the  summer  of  that  year  I  transferred  my  member- 
ship to  this  church  while  a  student  at  Princeton 
Theological  Seminary.  This  church  and  pastor  have 
thus  been  most  intimately  associated  with  my  min- 
isterial life ;  and  it  is  with  the  greatest  pleasure  that 
I  now  bear  filial  testimony  to  their  worth  to  me. 
Our  acquaintance  and  friendship  cover  almost  the 
period  made  prominent  by  this  anniversary  service  ; 
and  supply  some  sort  of   warrant  for  me  to  hint  at 


146  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

•'  What  I  Know  About  this  Church  and  Pastor" — 
the  theme  which  has  been  assigned  me. 

I  am  glad  this  is  not  a  funeral;  and  tliat  I  am 
not  this  evening  in  the  position  of  the  minister  I  re- 
cently read  of,  who  had  been  engaged  by  an  eccen- 
tric man  to  preach  his  funeral  sermon  in  his  presence 
while  still  living.  The  man  wanted  to  know  what 
would  be  said  about  him,  and  declared  it  to  be  his 
intention  to  demand  strict  honesty  of  the  preacher, 
and  if  he  should  either  overstate  or  understate  the 
truth  about  him,  he  would  then  and  there  rise  and 
contradict  him,  as  he  could  not  if  he  waited  till  he 
was  dead  ]  He  had  heard  so  much  unwarranted 
panegyric  at  funerals  that  he  wanted  no  lying  at  his. 
Though  I  neither  desire  nor  intend  to  exaggerate  or 
minify,  and  have  not  been  threatened  with  instant 
correction  in  either  case,  yet  I  am  glad  this  is  not  a 
funeral,  not  even  by  way  of  anticipation.  The  happy 
circumstances  of  the  occasion  are  such  as  would  dis- 
parage overstatement,  and  atone  for  understatement 
of  fact. 

One  is  strongly  impressed  with  the  mutual  influ- 
ence of  church  and  pastor  on  each  other  during  so 
prolonged  association.  The  old  adage,  "  Like  priest 
like  people,"  finds  its  counterpart  in  its  own  reverse, 


\V.  T.  L.  IvIEFFEE.  147 

"  Like  peo})lG  like  priest."  They  are  imitually 
aifected.  In  the  present  instance  we  find  marks  of 
strong  individuality  on  both  sides.  This  chnrch  was 
born  with  a  positive  temperament ;  and  has  retained 
it.  So,  too,  the  pastor.  And  whilst  the  pastor  ha& 
contributed  much  towards  making  this  church  what 
it  is,  the  church  has  done  its  share  in  developing  the 
pastor.  This  double-acting  relationship  must  not  be 
forgotten  as  we  look  for  points.  I  know  not  what 
this  church  might  have  become  under  another  pastor 
or  pastors,  nor  what  thirty  years  in  another  church, 
or  in  other  churches,  might  have  made  this  pastor  ; 
but  I  know  this,  that  together  these  two  have  grown 
to  splendid  character,  service  and  honor  in  the  Mas- 
ter's kingdom.  It  is  much  to  the  credit  of  both  that 
they  have  mutually  appreciated  each  other's  merits, 
borne  with  their  faults,  loved  and  been  loved,  helped 
and  been  helped  during  these  long  years.  This 
harmony  of  two  positive  temperaments  is  an  object- 
lesson  to  all  churches  and  pastors  in  these  days  of 
unrest,  when  the  lack  of  forbearance  causes  so  many 
needless  pastoral  changes. 

Among  the  things  I  know  about  this  church  and 
pastor  are  these,  and  such  as  these  : 


148  A  THIRTIETH  ANjN'IVEESARY. 

1.     They  have  been  religiously  aggressive. 

They  have  stood  for  something.  This  pulpit  has 
given  no  uncertain  sound  on  the  issues  that  differen- 
tiate the  Church  from  the  world.  The  pew  occu- 
pants have  had  no  occasion  to  rate  the  Church  of 
Christ  a  mere  social  club ;  but  have  been  faithfully 
taught  to  align  themselves  with  the  Gospel.  This 
is  a  church,  not  a  philosophical,  nor  theosophical, 
nor  scientific  society  ;  but  a  church,  whose  mission 
is  the  religious  culture  of  souls.  It  is  a  church, 
not  a  social  entertainment  agency,  without  spiritual 
intent. 

Consequently,  it  has  been  aggressive  and  pro- 
gressive in  its  religious  life.  Worldliness  has  left 
its  soiled  finger-marks  on  it,  to  be  sure,  as  on  others  ; 
Ijut,  in  spite  of  it,  the  tone  and  effort  of  the  church 
have  been  in  the  direction  of  positive  religion.  This 
is  an  important  fact  and  factor.  For  many  churches 
and  ministers  are  spiritually  inefficient,  because  they 
stand  for  nothing,  and  do  nothing  distinctively  reli- 
gious. Such  has  become  the  terrorism  of  worldliness 
in  the  church  over  the  pulpit  that  many  pastors  fear 
to  insist  on  religion ;  and  so  the  church  loses  its 
power,  and  degenerates  into  an  ambiguity. 

I  know  that  whatever  may  be  the  measure  of  sec- 


W.  T.   L.  KIEFFER.  141' 

ularity  hereabouts,  it  has  not  been  permitted  to 
consume  the  vital  energy  of  this  church,  because 
the  leader  has  set  too  agressive  a  step  for  its  reliu- 
ious  life.  Witli  excellent  tact  and  fidelity  the  fun- 
damental principles  of  practical  religion  have  been 
declared,  and  real  godliness  has  been  inculcated. 
The  result  shows  the  value  of  such  steadfastness 
and  agressiveness.  It  is  a  sign  of  disease  and  de- 
cline when  ministers  lose  their  spiritual  caste  and 
yield  themselves  to  irreligion.  The  church  has  a 
great  work  to  do ;  and  should  be  about  it. 

2.     I   know  this   church  and  pastor  have  been 

ORTHODOX. 

No  theological  fungus  has  had  a  chance  to  grow 
around  the  edges  of  this  pulpit.  The  "  New 
Theology"  has  not  been  able  to  get  in  edge- 
wise or  otherwise.  Higher  Criticism  has  not  been 
able  to  cast  a  cloud  over  the  minds  of  the  people. 
The  old  light  has  burned  too  brightly  for  that.  The 
"  fads  "  have  come  and  gone  ;  but  the  old  story  has 
been  told  in  the  old  way.  The  heresy-hunter  has 
had  no  call  hither.  This  pulpit  has  been  rockribbed 
in  its  orthodoxy. 

I  cannot  think  of  a  better  thing  to  say  than  this 
on   this    occasion.     Loyalty  to  revealed   truth  is  a 


150  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

noble  quality.  It  is  needed  now  as  much  as  it  was 
in  the  martyr-days,  around  which  gathers  such  a 
halo  of  glory.  There  has  been  such  a  persistent 
packing  at  the  foundations  of  our  belief,  during  re- 
cent years,  that  the  timid  have  been  alarmed  and 
the  unsteady  have  faltered.  Men  have  almost,  if 
not  altogether,  mocked  at  those  who  have  dared  to 
adhere  to  the  old  doctrines.  They  have  claimed  all 
the  scholarship  worth  naming ;  and  have  relegated 
to  antiquity's  dusty  shelf  the  doctrines  and  beliefs 
that  made  our  forefathers  strong  and  brave  and  suc- 
cessful in  the  Master's  work. 

But  none  of  such  nonsense  has  obtained  here. 
This  Church  has  appreciated  the  high  scholarship 
of  its  pastor ;  and  has  no  need  to  hanker  after  the 
theological  autocrats  who  would  make  them  dis- 
satisfied. Here  the  Gospel  has  been  proclaimed  to 
sinner  and  saint  with  that  clearness  of  interpreta- 
tion and  that  fulness  of  faith  and  boldness  of  utter- 
ance which  could  not  foster  anything  else  than  loyal 
allegiance  thereto.  This  pastor  is  a  scholar,  and 
knows  how  to  think ;  and  this  church  knows  it. 
Who  could  doubt  his  Presbyterian  ism  ?  Know  we 
not  all  how  true  he  has  been  to  our  Standards? 
"Doctrinal    Sermons"  have  not   brought   hvsteria 


W.  T.  L.  Kri-:FFER.  151 

nor  dyspepsia  to  the  people  awake,  nor  nightmare 
to  the  people  asleep,  as  seems  to  be  the  case  in  some 
other  churches.  Nor  have  the  sermons  always  been 
short,  daudy-likc  affi\irs.  They  have  been  prea(;lu'<l 
whenever  required  and  in  such  way  as  indicated 
that  the  preacher  himself  had  a  good  grip  on  the 
truth  and  must  tell  it.  His  own  knowledge  and 
faith  and  loyalty  have  therefore  been  im|)arted  to 
the  people ;  and  that  is  why  this  church  has  had 
and  has  such  goocT  "stuff"  in  it.  The  people  have 
been  fed  on  the  Gospel  and  have  grown  on  the  diet. 
The  strong  meat  has  made  them  strong. 

Who  doubts  this  pastor's  Protestantism?  Does 
any  follower  of  Leo  XIII  hereabouts  question  his 
evangelical  fibre  ?  There  is  no  ground  for  the  least 
suspicion  as  to  his  alignment  with  the  Reformation ; 
and  this  church,  magnanimous  withal  towards  all 
beliefs  and  methods,  cannot  be  indifferent  to  the 
issues  that  demarcate  Protestantism  from  its  his- 
toric opponent.  Presbyterians  here  at  least  have 
no  reiison  to  be  ignorant  as  to  why  they  are  Pro- 
testant. 

The  same  loyalty  to  Gospel  principles  is  seen  in 
all  moral  questions  that  the  day  brings  forward. 
Temperance  and  social  order  have   had  no  braver, 


152  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

more  earnest,  or  more  prudent  advocate  than  that 
occupying  this  pulpit.  And  it  could  not  be  other- 
wise than  that  the  predominant  sentiment  of  this 
church  should  be  set  in  the  same  direction.  This 
pulpit,  strong,  clear,  and  brave  in  its  own  beliefs, 
has  helped  shape  the  opinion  and  practice  of  its 
adherents.  Not  that  every  one  always  thought  as 
the  pulpit  taught ;  for  that  would  be  impossible. 
But  the  caste  of  opinion  and  belief  has  been  given 
by  the  pulpit  in  the  direction  of  orthodoxy  in  both 
belief  and  practice.  And  there  is  great  honor  in 
that. 

3.     I  know   this   church  and   pastor  have  been 

BENEVOLENT. 

Anyone  who  glances  over  the  Assembly  Minutes 
for  all  these  years  will  quickly  see  that  this  church 
has  been  liberal  in  its  benevolences,  and  has  steadily 
advanced  therein,  according  to  its  current  financial 
ability.  Though  church  and  manse  have  been  built 
and  practically  rebuilt  at  great  outlay,  yet  all  the 
Boards  have  been  generously  and  continuously  sup- 
ported ;  and  this  church's  record  need  bring  it  no 
blush  of  shame  as  it  confronts  it.  When  we  minis- 
ters wish  to  know  something  about  a  strange  church, 
we  first  look  at  its  record  in  the  Assembly  Minutes  ; 


W.  T.  L.   KIEFFER.  153 

and  not  infrequently  we  find  churches  with  hirge 
enrollment  making  a  very  shabby  report  on  the  be- 
nevolence question  ;  and  we  conclude  that  something 
is  wrong  with  said  church  or  it  would  show  larger 
benevolent  contributions.  Usually  this  is  the  key 
to  the  character  and  efficiency  of  the  church.  Any 
one  making  this  search  would  at  once  decide  that 
the  Second  Church  of  Carlisle  is  a  good  church, 
whose  machinery  is  well  oiled  and  in  excellent  work- 
ing order.  If  ever  it  becomes  vacant — and  mav  that 
day  be  remote — an  inrush  of  applicants  may  be  ex- 
pected, which  will  sweep  the  Elders  off  their  feet,  if 
they  do  not  properly  brace  themselves  against  it  ; 
for  all  the  restless  preachei's  in  the  kingdom  will 
jump  at  so  good  a  place.  That  is  one  of  the  conse- 
quences of  being  a  wide-awake  church  in  these  im- 
portant matters. 

But  here  again  we  see  that  this  church  couM  not 
well  help  being  liberal.  For  has  not  this  pastor  for 
thirty  years  been  teaching,  exhorting  and  leading 
the  people  in  all  the  lines  of  Gospel  beneficence  ? 
Missionary  to  the  core — Scriptural  in  method — fear- 
less and  persistent  in  service,  he  has  made  it  diffi- 
cult and  uncomfortable  for  people  to  lag  l:)ehind. 
Years  ago  one  of  his   parishioners   was   wont,  in  a 


154  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

jocular  way,  sometimes  to  remark  on  Sabbath  morn- 
ing, about  church-time,  "  Well,  I  guess  we  must  go 
down  and  listen  to  another  sermon  on  Giving,  or 
Missions."  The  oft-preached  themes  may  not  have 
been  any  too  attractive  to  him ;  but  faithful,  strong, 
tactful  preaching  inevitably  filtered  through  to  the 
quick  of  the  heart,  and  so  reached  the  purse. 

It  is  not  given  to  every  minister  of  the  Gospel 
thus  to  provoke  and  direct  the  benevolence  of  people. 
There  is  some  special  endowment  required  for  it. 
This  pastor  has  the  gift,  and  he  has  used  it  with 
excellent  effect.  The  quickening  has  been  whole- 
some ;  and  this  church,  rejoicing  to-day  in  its 
strength,  owes  much  to  this  very  stimulation  it  has 
received  from  the  pastor  in  all  works  of  benevolence. 
The  story  is  told  of  a  boy  who  accidentally  swallowed 
a  silver  coin.  Alarm  instantly  seized  the  family. 
The  cry  sounded,  "Run  for  the  doctor;  quick,  run 
for  the  doctor."  But  a  lad  who  was  present  said, 
"  No;  run  for  our  preacher,  for  I  heard  pop  say  he 
cuuhl  'jet  money  out  'if  anybody .  "  So  characteristic 
of  our  pastor  is  this  eminent  ability  as  a  money- 
extractor  that  the  suspicion  grows  on  me  this 
story  must  have  originated  in  the  Second  church. 
Anyhow,  God  be  praised  that  His  people  here  have 


W.   T.    L.   KIHFFER.  155 

followed  their  leader,  and  have  not  withheld  their 
substantial  offerings,  but  have  freely  given  them  in 
tribute  to  His  grace.  Thus  have  they  been  blessed, 
and  been  made  strong  and  happy  in  His  service. 

4.  I  know  this  church  and  pastor  have  been  con- 
tent with  the  Gospel  ordinances  as  the  means  of 
growth  and  advancement. 

This  })ulpit  has  not  had  to  resort  to  any  of  the 
various  devices  of  sensationalism,  which  have  become 
common  in  some  places.  "  Picture-Sermons,"  whose 
familiar  advertising  circulars  we  oft  receive,  have 
not  been  required  here  to  gain  patronage.  Fancy- 
concerts,  with  a  sermonette  attachment,  have  not 
figured  as  the  church's  hope  of  good  standing  and 
usefulness  in  the  community.  Reliance  has  been 
placed  upon  the  faithful  preaching  of  the  Word,  the 
straightforward  and  earnest  telling  of  "  the  old, 
old  story."  This  is  in  direct  conformity  to  Gospel 
counsel  and  precedent,  and  here  the  blessing  of  God 
has  attended  this  means  and  method  of  work. 

There  is  no  substitute  for  preaching.  Due  recog- 
nition and  place  must  of  course  be  given  other  parts 
of  public  worship  and  other  associated  agencies. 
But  after  all  this  remains  the  hoi)e  of  the  church's 
progress.     Attempts  at   substitution  have  come  to 


156  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

grief.  Churches  fed  on  the  husks  of  sensationaHsrn 
have  narrowed  and  failed.  It  is  said  that  in  a  cer- 
tain city  many  of  the  churches  are  resorting  to  va- 
rious ingenious  devices  in  the  way  of  sacred  concerts, 
and  similar  appliances,  to  attract  people  to  the 
evening  service,  small  allowance  of  time  and  interest 
being  given  the  sermon.  But  it  is  also  said  that 
the  greatest  number  of  additions  to  the  membership 
is  found  in  those  churches,  in  that  same  city,  whose 
main  reliance  has  been  on  the  plain  Gospel  ordi- 
nances, and  which  have  honored  preaching  as  GTod's 
appointed  means  and  method  of  grace.  They  may 
not  have  had  the  crowd  nor  the  hurrah ;  but  the 
savor  of  the  Gospel  was  with  them,  and  souls  were 
reached  by  the  truth,  the  only  thing  that  can  quicken 
them.  Salvation,  not  entertainment,  is  the  watch- 
word of  the  honest  pastor  and  church  ;  and  the  Word 
only  can  make  "  wise  unto  salvation."  There  is 
room  for  the  exercise  of  the  best  gifts  in  making 
preaching  attractive,  as  it  ought  to  be  made,  that  it 
may  address  the  intellect,  appeal  to  the  heart,  and 
move  the  will.  The  best  preacher  must  oft  say, 
"  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ?"  But  it  is 
noteworthy  that  the  preachers  who  have  risen  to 
lasting  honor  have  been  devoutly  evangelical,  and 


W.  T.    L.   KIKFFER.  157 

have  trusted  in  the  divine  Word  to  work  that  spir- 
itual sensation  which  lost  souls  require. 

Our  congratulations  and  rejoicings  today  are  ac- 
centuated by  the  fact  that  here  again  the  old  Gospel 
has  been  honored  and  that  its  saving  efficac}'-  has 
been  demonstrated.  How  cheap  and  foolish  all 
species  of  ecclesiastical  claptrap  must  seem  beside 
this !  We  honor  our  brother  as  a  preacher,  rev- 
erent, intellectual,  warm-hearted,  unwearying ;  and 
we  rejoice  this  day  to  do  him  honor.  Blessed  indeed 
are  they  whose  privilege  it  has  been  and  is  to  sit 
under  his  ministrations ;  and  be  led  into  the  know- 
ledge of  God's  truth.  May  the  day  never  come  to 
this  beloved  Zion  when  faithful  Gospel  preaching 
shall  be  depreciated  or  become  the  occasion  of  dis- 
content and  unrest. 

Such  are  some  of  the  things  I  know  and  you 
know  about  this  church  and  pastor, — things  which 
deserve  to  be  said  on  this  occasion.  I  know  how 
conservative  both  are ;  but  that  very  conservatism 
is  excellent  ballast  and  assures  the  progress  of  the 
work.  They  are  both  up  to  the  times  in  all  that 
affects  the  kingdom  and  cannot  stand  still  or  go 
back. 

I  know  the  influence  of  this   pastor  has  gone  out 


158  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVEESARi. 

from  this  church  far  hence.  We  who  have  enjoyed 
his  love  and  confidence  and  counsel,  and  have  gone 
into  the  ministry — even  to  foreign  lands — have  car- 
ried with  us  the  impress  of  his  training  and  have 
thus  extended  his  influence.  The  fact  is  worth  noting 
that  eight  young  men  have  entered  the  ministry 
from  this  church  during  this  pastorate.  Of  these 
two  have  been  Foreign  Missionaries,  and  two  Home 
Missionaries.  This  church  has  also  in  this  time 
supplied  seven  minister's  wives,  three  of  whom  are 
Presbyterian,  three  Methodist  Episcopal,  and  one 
Protestant  Episcopal.  The  Bible  says  "  A  good 
wife  is  from  the  Lord."  But  I  doubt  not  the  other 
favored  ministers  will  join  me  in  adding  the  words 
— "  and  from  the  Second  Church  !"  Nor  will  there 
be  dissent  from  the  opinion  that  our  matrimonial 
fortune  has  been  simply  patterned  after  that  of  this 
church's  pastor,  or  that  to  his  excellent  helpmeet 
we  are  indebted  for  much  of  the  v/ise  helpfulness 
brought  us  by  our  own.  We  are  only  giving  honor 
to  whom  honor  is  due,  when  we  credit  much  of  the 
success  of  this  church  and  pastor  to  the  cultured 
and  prudent  wife  who  has  shared  the  lights  and 
shadows  of  the  pastorate  with  him.  Both  directly 
and    indirectly  she   has  been  a  factor  in  the  glad 


W.  T.   L.   KIEFFER.  159 

success  we  celebrate  today.  Surely  none  of  us 
would,  if  we  could,  ever  forget  the  helpful  fellow- 
ship of  this  church  and  pastor  in  days  agone. 
Speaking  for  those  who  are  not  here,  I  would  pay 
this  affectionate  tribute  to  him  and  you.  Wherever 
we  go  and  among  whomsoever  we  live  and  labor, 
we  shall  ever  appreciate  the  Providence  that  linked 
our  lives  with  yours  in  religious  fellowship  and  ser- 
vice :  and  our  prayer  is  that  we  may  never  be  a 
dishonor  to  you. 

It  was  said  this  afternoon,  "  The  Past  is  secure ; 
what  of  the  Future  ?"  For  this  we  have  no  anx- 
iety. The  principles  and  practices  which  have  made 
the  Past  will  abide  and  mould  the  Future.  Social 
conditions  may  change  and  bring  new  difficulties 
into  the  work ;  but  this  church  and  pastor  have  the 
requisite  power  of  adaptation  to  conditions  which 
will  issue  in  success.  The  Scotch-Irish  element  may 
wane,  and  others,  not  historically  Presbyterian,  may 
take  its  place ;  l)ut  I  believe  this  power  of  adjust- 
ment and  assimilation  will  continue  to  mould  diverse 
materials  into  the  one  distinctive  congregational 
life.  In  that  lies  the  outlook  of  our  churches 
through  this  region ;  and  that  will  assure  this 
church's  perpetual  vigor. 


160  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

The  sociologist  is  often  perplexed  over  the  dis- 
posal of  the  complex  multitudes  that  come  to 
America  for  settlement ;  and  is  often  worried 
lest  overdone  immigration  work  ultimate  ruin  to 
our  national  institutions.  But  he  is  a  dull  stu- 
dent who  does  not  observe  the  unique  power 
of  assimilation  possessed  by  America.  We  look 
abroad  and  see  that  in  England  a  native  is  always 
an  Englishman ;  in  Scotland  a  Scotchman  ;  in  Ire- 
land an  Irishman  ;  in  Germany  a  German ;  and  so 
on.  Who  thinks  of  anything  else  than  this  ?  But 
behold  them  all,  and  other  nameless  hordes,  coming 
here,  and  thrown  into  the  national  hopper,  with  the 
result  of  a  grist  in  a  generation  or  two  that  is  dis- 
tinctively American  !  True,  it  is  a  trifle  hard  on 
the  hopper  at  times ;  but  the  grist  is  always  a  suc- 
cessful blending  of  the  antecedent  types.  In  that 
lies  the  hope  of  our  country.  And  in  that  power  of 
assimilation  of  other  than  hereditary  Presbyterians 
lies  the  future  success  of  this  church.  Pride  of  an- 
cestry and  achievement  can  only  be  mischievous,  if 
relied  on  for  future  advancement.  Faithful  and 
indefatigable  work  alone  can  and  will  assure  the 
future. 

Thirty  years  !     How  rich  their  memory  !     How 


W.  T.  L.  KTEFFER.  161 

strong  and  far-reaching  their  influence  for  good  ! 
What  augury  of  great  things  to  come !  We,  who 
have  long  been  away,  are  practically  strangers  among 
you  to-day  ;  but  we  remember  the  past,  we  trust  the 
futurf.  This  is  the  tirst  thirty-year  pastorate  Cai- 
lisle  has  had ;  and  Carlisle  Presbytery  has  now  only 
one  pastor  in  service  with  a  longer  term  to  his  credit, 
viz. :  Rev.  J.  Smith  Gordon,  of  Lower  Path  Valley, 
who  has  been  forty  years  in  that  charge.  As  the 
years  roll  on,  may  they  be  as  fruitful  of  good  as  these 
thirty  have  been ;  and  when  the  end  comes,  mav 
the  victory  of  faith  be  ours,  and  we  rejoice  with  un- 
speakable joy  in  the  great  coronation,  toward  which 
we  all  look  and  work,  in  that  eternity  where  the 
years  are  not  counted,  and  anniversaries  are  only  a 
pleasant  memory  ! 


ADDRESSES. 

Monday  Afternoon,  January  2, 1899. 


REV.  EBENEZEE  EESKINE,  D.  D., 

Newville,  Pa., 

Presiding. 

Dr.  Erskine  expressed  his  personal  appreciation  of 
the  spirit  in  a  congregation  which  observed  such  an 
anniversary  as  this.  He  hoped  it  might  catch  in 
other  churches,  and  come  nearer  home.  He  had 
known  the  pastor  of  this  church  before  his  settle- 
ment in  Carlisle.  They  had  been  members  of  the 
same  Synod  in  the  West.  The  first  time  they  met 
as  members  of  the  same  judicatory  was  in  the  fall  of 
1865,  when  the  Synod  of  Chicago  was  convened  in 
the  city  of  Galena.  Dr.  Erskine  was  then  ju.st 
establishing  the  "  North-  WeaLern  Preshylericur  in 
the  great  Metropolis  of  the  West,  a  Church  paper, 
which  was  afterwards  changed  to  the  "  Interior " 
The  pastor  of  this  church  was  at  that  time  a  young 


164  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

man,  who  had  been  recently  ordained  and  installed 
in  his  first  charge  at  North  Henderson,  Mercer 
county,  111. 

The  attention  of  Dr.  Erskine  was  first  called  to 
the  young  man  by  an  earnest  speech  which  he  made 
in  this  meeting  of  Synod  on  one  of  the  burning  ques- 
tions of  the  day.  As  the  young  man  agreed  with 
Dr.  Erskine,  the  latter  naturally  concluded  that  he 
was  a  man  of  promise,  and  one  that  ought  to  be  en- 
couraged. Subsequently  he  desired  to  have  him 
.settled  in  Chicago  as  pastor  over  what  has  since 
become  the  Fifth  Presbyterian  Church  of  that  city, 
and  he  was  instrumental  in  procuring  a  call  for  him 
to  that  new  enterprise,  a  fact  which  is  here  grate- 
fully recorded.  But  the  young  man  preferred  the 
call  to  Carlisle,  and  here  he  began  his  work  thirty 
years  ago. 

It  is  idle  to  guess  wdiat  would  have  been  the  result 
of  his  going  to  Chicago  at  that  time ;  he  might  have 
had  a  more  active  and  conspicuous  life ;  he  might 
nave  been  in  his  grave  long  ago.  We  do  not  know 
what  "might  have  been,"  we  only  know  what  the 
kind  Providence  of  God  has  brought  to  both.  By 
His  m-eat  loving;  kindness,  Dr.  Erskine  and  his 
"  young  friend"  have    been   called  to  work  side  by 


DR.  EESKINE.  165 

side  in  this  delightful  valley  for  almost  all  these 
thirty  year.-^.  Their  ministerial  exchanges  have 
been  very  pleasant  and  profitable,  and  when  in  1886 
the  Presbytery  of  Carlisle  celebrated  its  Centennial 
they  were  associated  in  the  labor  of  preparing  for 
and  carrying  out  that  important  anniversary.  The 
occasion  resulted  in  the  publication  of  "  The  Cen- 
tennial Memorial  "  which  is  a  complete  History 
of  Carlisle  Presbytery, — a  work  of  permanent  value 
not  only  in  this  locality  but  to  the  Church  at  large. 
In  this  labor  of  love  were  associated  the  three 
friends,  West,  Erskine  and  Norcross,  who  wrought 
patiently  together  until  their  work  was  accom- 
plished and  given  to  the  world  in  1890. 

The  speaker  said  he  was  very  happy  in  being 
present  at  this  anniversary,  and  he  extended  his 
hearty  congratulations  to  both  pastor  and  people  on 
the  work  that  had  been  accomplished  in  this  con- 
gregation. He  then  introduced  the  speakers  in  the 
order  of  the  programme. 


166  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

"THE  IDEAL  CHURCH: 

BY 

REV.   WM.  A.  McCAERELL. 

Before  coming  here  I  did  not  know  exactly  what 
the  nature  of  this  service  was  to  be — especially  did 
I  not  know  what  the  character  of  the  addresses  was 
to  be — whether  grave  or  gay,  pathetic  or  profound. 

I  certainly  shall  not  make  the  last  mentioned 
kind.  The  only  limitation  put  upon  me,  however, 
was  by  our  good  brother,  Dr.  Norcross,  who  told  me 
that  I  was  to  say  very  little  about  him.  Why  this 
\vas,  I  do  not  know.  It  may  be  that  he  was  afraid 
to  trust  me.  Certainly  he  will  not  object  to  my 
congratulating  him  on  the  grand  record  he  has  made 
here,  and,  he  will  not  object  to  ray  congratulating 
this  church  on  the  grand  record  it  has  made  during 
these  thirty  years  of  happy  pastoral  relation. 

So  far  as  Dr.  Norcross  is  concerned,  I  am  free  to 
confess  I  feel  towards  him  very  much  like  that 
Spanish  Senorita,  with  whom  the  celebrated  Tom 
Corwin  is  said  to  have  come  in  contact  several  years 
ago  in   Havana.     According  to  the  story,  he  was 


v;m.  a.  m'carrell.  167 

taking  dinner  in  the  then  fSpanie^li  capital  of  Cuba. 
He  happened  to  be  sitting  beside  a  Spanish  lady  of 
the  first  rank.  ^Vllen  the  coffee  was  brought  to  the 
table,  the  Senorita  proceeded  to  pour  molasses  into 
it.  Mr.  Corwin  begged  her  to  stop  pouring  as  she 
would  have  it  too  sweet  for  him.  "  Ah,"  said  she 
with  her  blandest  smile,  "  If  it  were  all  molasses  it 
would  not  be  too  sweet  for  //'".'."  So  I  feel  that  if 
this  service  were  to  be  all  congratulation  it  would 
not  be  too  sweet  for  this  pastor  and  this  people. 
They  both  deserve  to  be  congratulated.  But  I  foi'- 
bear,  remembering  the  injunction  laid  upon  me.  I 
am  to  say  a  lew  words  this  afternoon  concerning  the 
"  Ideal  Church." 

This  is  an  important  subject,  and  very  much 
might  be  said  on  it.  It  is,  however,  an  ideal  which 
seems  to  elude  one  as  he  tries  to  grasp  it.  The  first 
remark  I  would  make,  however  is,  that  there  /.s  an 
"  Ideal  Church."  7'//t'  Ideal  Church  is  the  church 
— and  I  am  now  speaking  of  individual  churches — 
is  the  church  composed  not  only  of  truly  converted 
men  and  women,  together  with  their  children,  but 
of  men  and  of  women  who  are  so  nearly  sanctified 
that  there  is  but  one  remove  between  them  and 
angels.     I   know  tliat  such  a  church  has   never  as 


168  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

yet  been  fully  realized  on  earth ;  it  is  only  seen  in 
"  the  Church  of  the  First-Born  in  Heaven  ;"  but  I 
have  sometimes  thought  that  in  these  days  of  rest- 
lessness and  desire  for  change,  there  are  some  min- 
isters who  are  on  the  look  out  for  such  a  church. 
There  is  always  something  wrong  with  the  churches 
where,  it  is  to  be  taken  for  granted,  the  Lord  put 
them.  And,  on  the  other  hand,  there  seem  to  be 
churches  who  are  on  the  constant  look-out  for  the 
"  Ideal  Minister,"  i.  e.,  the  perfect  minister.  I  have 
often  wondered  what  such  a  church  and  such  a  min- 
ister would  do  if  thev  were  to  be  brought  together. 
There  would  be  nothino;  for  the  minister  to  do,  for 
the  people  would  already  be  perfect,  and,  there 
would  be  nothing  for  the  people  to  do,  for  there 
would  be  nothing  about  the  minister  that  any  one 
i^ould  criticise. 

But,  while  the  absolutely  ideal  church  is  not  at- 
tainable in  this  world,  at  least  before  the  Millenium, 
.there  is  an  ideal  church  which  is  attainable — at  least 
it  so  seems  to  me.  What  is  it,  then  ?  Let  me  de- 
fine it  as  nearly  as  I  can.  The  ideal  church  is  a 
Itody  of  professing  Christians,  banded  together,  ac- 
cording to  God's  appointment,  for  two  things  :  1. 
The    worship  of   God,  and  2.  The  service  of  God. 


WM.  A.  m'carrell.  169 

This  may  not  seem  to  be,  at  first  thought,  a  very 
good  definition  of  the  ideal  church  as  attainable  in 
this  world  ;  but  the  more  you  will  think  of  it  the 
more  comprehensive,  I  think,  you  will  find  it  to  l)e. 

Take  the  first  part  of  the  definition  :  The  ideal 
church  is  a  body  of  professing  Christians,  banded 
together  for  the  worship  of  God.  There  is  a  vast 
deal  comprehended  in  that. 

1.  First  of  all,  in  such  a  church,  the  honor, 
the  glory  of  God  wouM  be  uppermost  in  the 
minds  of  the  great  majority  of  the  membership. 
8uch  a  church  would  not  be  a  mutual  admira- 
tion society.  It  would  not  be  a  social  club — 
although  the  highest  kind  of  social)ility  would  exist. 
The  church  Ituilding  would  not  bo  a  place  of  fash- 
ionable resort,  where  the  milliners  and  the  tailors 
would  get  a  weekly  advertisement.  "  The  rich  and 
the  poor  would  meet  together,"  recognizing  the  fact 
that  "  the  Lord  was  the  Maker  of  them  all."  When 
the  people  came  to  God's  house,  it  would  not  Ite  to  have 
their  intellectual  or  aisthetic  natures  ministered  to 
l)y  deep-rolling  organ,  operatic  singing,  or  eloquent 
or  dih'tlanie  preaching,  in  the  ordinary  acceptance 
of  those  words.  The  peoi)le  would  come  to  God's 
house  for  the  purjiose  of  rendering   thanksgiving  to 


170  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

Him  for  all  His  goodness  to  them  personally  and 
collectively  ;  for  the  purpose  of  confessing  sin,  and 
imploring  mercy  through  the  grace  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus — they  would  come  to  hear  what  God, 
the  Lord,  had  to  say  to  them  out  of  His  Word  and 
by  the  mouth  of  His  ministering  servant.  And  here, 
in  this  ideal  church,  the  place  of  the  ideal  minister 
would  be  evident.  He  M'ould  come  into  the  pulpit, 
not  to  receive  the  applause  of  men  for  his  literary 
and  eloquent  dissertations  ;  not  to  be  flattered  by 
the  world  for  his  grace  and  eloquence,  or  for  the  flow 
of  his  pulpit  robes  ;  but  he  would  come  as  the  mes- 
senger of  God,  as  the  "ambassador  of  Christ,"  to 
declare  the  "  whole  counsel  of  God,  whether  men 
would  hear  or  whether  they  would  forbear." 

2.  Then,  in  the  second  place,  in  such  a  church, 
the  great  end  aimed  at  by  the  membership  would  be 
a  higher  spirituality.  Like  the  apostle  of  old,  they 
"  would  count  themselves  not  to  have  already  at- 
tained, neither  to  be  already  perfect,  but  forgetting 
the  things  which  are  behind,  and  reaching  Ibrth  to 
those  things  which  are  before,  they  would  press 
toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of 
God  in  Christ  Jesus."  Listead  of  judging  one 
another,  the  members  would,  first  of  all,  judge  them- 


WM.  A.  m'carrell.  171 

selves.  Instead  of  busying  themselves  with  pulling 
the  motes  out  of  their  brother's  eye,  they  would  first 
pull  the  beams  out  of  their  own  eyes.  Their  con- 
stant prayer  would  be,  "  Create  in  me  a  clean  heart, 
0  God,  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me." 

A.\\  of  these  things,  and  more,  would  necessarily 
flow  out  of  a  church  thus  banded  together  for  the 
worship  of  God,  i.  e.,  where  the  worship  of  God  was 
one  of  the  great  ends  sought  after.  Then,  take  the 
second  part  of  the  definition  of  the  ideal  church — 
"  A  body  of  professing  Christians,  bandetl  together 
for  the  service  of  God."  How  much  is  embraced  in 
that  ! 

1.  In  the  first  place,  the  membership  of  .such 
a  church  would  ever  be  possessed  of  the  idea  "  that 
they  were  not  their  own,  Init  that  they  had  been 
bought  with  a  price ;"  not  their  will,  but  God's  will 
was  to  be  done.  There  would  then  be  the  hearty 
consecration  of  the  person  and  of  the  substance  to 
the  Lord.  Doing  something  for  God  would  be  a  joy 
and  a  privilege,  and  not  a  task  and  a  burden.  Each 
one  would  feel  that  he  was  "  Christ's  bond-servant." 

2.  Then,  in  the  second  place,  in  such  a  church, 
each  one  would  feel  that  he  was  l)Ound  not 
to   look    on    his  own  things  merely,  but  also  have 


172  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

a  regard  to  his  "  brother's  welfare."  Each  one 
would  strive  to  help  his  fellow  in  the  Christian 
life.  There  would  be  the  bearing  of  one  anoth- 
er's burdens,  and  so  there  would  be  the  fulfilling 
of  the  law  of  Christ.  One  of  the  great  ends  of  the 
Church  visible  would  thus  be  attained — the  help- 
ing of  one  another  in  the  divine  life. 

3.  Then,  in  the  third  place,  in  such  a  church, 
devoted  to  the  service  of  the  Lord,  those  outside  of 
the  kingdom  would  be  looked  after.  There  would 
be  earnest  prayer  for  the  unsaved.  There  would  be 
the  constant  endeavor  to  get  those  who  do  not  come 
to  God's  house  to  do  so.  The  membership  would  be 
constantly  saying  to  those  outside,  "  Come  thou  with 
us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good:  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken 
good  concerning  Israel."  For  their  own  spiritual 
good,  for  the  encouragement  of  their  pastor,  for  the 
purpose  of  drawing  others,  the  membership  of  such 
a  church  would  always  be  in  their  places  in  the 
sanctuary  on  the  Lord's  day  and  in  the  weekly 
meeting  for  prayer,  unless  providentially  hindered. 
There  would  be  none  of  the  modern  "  oncers"  in  such 
a  church. 

Then,  in  such  a  church,  banded  together  for 
worship  and  service,  there  would  be  much  prayer, 


WM.   A.   I\['CARRELL.  173 

hoth  public  and  private.  There  would  be  much 
prayer  for  the  pastor,  that  all  of  his  ministrations 
mig-ht  be  blessed  of  God  ;  that  lu^  mio-ht  1)e  streno-th- 
ened  and  upheld  by  the  power  of  God.  A  minister 
once  said  to  his  Deacons,  who  had  complained  to 
him  that  his  work  did  not  seem  to  prosper  as  it  once 
did,  "  The  recison  is,  that  I  have  lost  my  prayer- 
book."  When  his  officers  wondered  at  this,  he  ex- 
plained :  "  Once,  said  he,  my  people  prayed  earnestly 
for  me,  that  I  might  Ite  prospered  in  m_v  work ;  that 
saints  might  be  edified,  and  that  sinners  might  be 
conTerted  ;  but  now,  very  little  or  no  prayer  is  made 
for  me,  and  I  can  do  nothing."  Is  this  not  the 
secret  of  many  a  church's  deadness  ? 

Then,  such  a  church,  devoted  to  the  service  of 
God,  will  remember  that  its  commission  is  world- 
wide. It  will  remember  the  great  command  of  its 
Master,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature."  I  cannot  conceive  of 
an  ideal  church  which  is  not  a  missionary  church. 
The  narrow  cry  of  '' Heathen  enough  at  home!" 
will  never  be  heard  in  such  a  church.  On  the  other 
hand,  its  cry  will  be,  "  The  world  for  Christ  and 
Christ  for  the  world  !" 

In  such  a  church,  jiastor  and  people  will  be  bound 


174  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

together  by  the  ties  of  mutual  love  and  forbearance. 
The  people  will  look  up  to  their  undershepherd  as 
their  God-appointed  teacher  and  leader,  remember- 
ing that  he  is  responsible,  not  to  them^  but  to  the 
Great  Head  of  the  Church.  Pastor  and  people 
will  alike  seek-  the  glory  of  God  the  Father  and 
the  honor  of  Jesus  Christ  His  Son,  and  striv- 
ing to  serve  God  here  below,  they  will  look  for- 
ward to  that  glad  day  when  the  worship  and 
service  of  the  Church  on  earth  will  give  place  to  the 
higher  worship  and  service  of  the  Church  in  Heaven  ! 
Is  this  ideal  attainable  here  and  now  ?  I  fully  be- 
lieve it  is.  All  our  churches  need  is  a  fresh  and 
mighty  baptism  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  all  I  have 
spoken  of  may  be  and  will  be  attained. 

May  that  baptism  come  speedily !  And  may  you, 
my  dear  brothei',  and  you,  his  devoted  people,  re- 
alize as  never  before  the  "Ideal  Church."  That 
picture  presented  by  Longfellow  in  his  "  Children 
of  the  Lord's  Supper,"  comes  as  near,  as  it  seems  to 
me,  "  The  Ideal  Church  "  as  anything  on  earth  can  be. 
We  can  only  quote  a  few  Vv^ords.  Having  described 
the  church  and  the  surroundings,  he  goes  on  to 
describe  the  service.     He  says : 


WM.  A.  m'carrell.  175 

"  Loud  raiifj  the  bells  already  ;  the  throngintj  crowd  was 

assembled 
Far  from  valleys  and  hills  to  list  to  the  holy  preaching, 
Hark!    then   roll   forth  at  once  the  mighty  tones  from  the 

organ, 
Hover  like  the  voices  from  God,  aloft,  like  invisible  spirits, 
Like  as  Elias  in    heaven,    when    he  cast   oft'  from    him    his 

mantle. 
Even  so  cast  oft'  the   soul  its  garments  of  earth;  and  with 

one  voice 
Chimed  in  the  congregation,  and  sang  an  anthem  immortal 
Of  the  sublime  Wallin,  of  David's  harp  in  the  North-Land 
Tuned   to  the   choral  of  Luther  ;  the  song  on  its  powerful 

pinions 
Took  every  living  soul,  and  lifted  it  gently  to  heaven. 
And   every   face  did  shine  like  the  Holy  One's  face  upon 

Tabor. 
Lol    there    entered    then    into   the   church    the   Tlevorcnd 

Teacher. 
Father   by  right,   and    he  was  in  the  Parish;  a  christianly 

planiness 
Clothed   from    his    head  to  his  feet  the  old  man  of  seventy 

winters. 
Friendly  was  he  to  behold,  and   glad  as  the  heralding  angel 
Walked   he  among    the    crowds,    but   still  a  contemplative 

grandeur 
Lay  on  his   forehead   as  clear,   as  on   moss-covered   grave- 
stone a  sun  beam . 
As  in  his  inspiration  (an  evening  twilight  that  faintly 
Gleams  in  the  human  soul,  even  now,  from  the  day  of  crea- 
tion) 
Th'  artist,  the  friend  of  heaven,  imagines  saint  .Tohn  when 

in  Patmos, 
Gray,  with  his  eyes  uplifted  to  heaven,  so  seemed  then  the 

old  man; 


176  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

Such  was  the  glance  of  his  eye,  and  snch  were  his  tresses  of 

silver. 
All  the  congreation  arose  in  the  pews  that  were  numbered. 
But   with  a  cordial   look,  to  the  right  and  to  the  left  hand, 

the  old  man 
Nodding   all  hail  and   peace  disappeared  in  the  innermost 

chancel." 

What  a  picture  of  the  Ideal  Church  this  is ! 
Pastor  and  people  bound  together  in  the  bonds  of 
Christ's  love  !  The  people  reverencing  and  looking 
up  to  the  Pastor  as  the  minister  and  messenger  of 
God ;  looking  up  to  him  as  their  counsellor  and 
friend  ;  reverencing  him  more  and  more  as  the  days 
go  by,  and,  when  his  locks  begin  to  whiten,  seeing 
in  them  that  crown  of  glory  which  comes  to  a  godly 
old  age,  and  which  is  a  type  of  that  "Crown  of 
Righteousness  "  which  fadeth  not  away. 

And  so  may  you,  my  dear  brother,  and  you  his 
faithful  people  be  bound  together  until  the  Great 
Head  of  the  Church  Himself  shall  loose  the  bond 
and  bid  this  pastor,  "  Come  up  higher  !" 


ir.  G.  STOETZER.  177 

"THE  PASTOR'S  BAND:' 

BY 

EEV.  H.  G.  STOETZER. 

Scripture,  history  and  recent  events  teach  the 
great  truth,  that  God.  is  marching  on,  and  in  tlie 
beautiful  lines  of  one, 

"  He  has  sounded  forth  the  trumpet  that  shall  never  call  re- 
treat ; 

lie  is  sifting  out  the  hearts  of  men  before  the  judgment 
seat  : 

Oh,  be  swift,  my  soul,  to  answer  Him  I  be  jubilant  my  feet  ! 
Our  God  is  marching  on." 

"  And  there  went  with  him  a  l)and  of  men,  whoso 

hearts  God  had  touched."     This    band    refers  to  a 

band  of  men    who   went   with    Saul,  just  anointed 

King  of  Israel.     They  followed  loyally    the  King 

when  others  deserted.     They  served  and  upheld  the 

King,  when  the   sons   of  Belial    sulked    and   said, 

"  How  shall  this  man  save  us  ?" 

It  does  no  violence  to  the  truth,  nor  to  this  occa- 
sion, to  apply  these  words  to  a  "  Pastor's  Band." 

This  occasion  is  made  possible  as  much  by  the 
loving  loyalty,  the  kindly  forbearance  and  the  godly 
life  of  the  band  of  men  and  women,  whose  hearts  God 


178  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVEESAEY. 

lias  touched,  as  by  the  matchless  manhood,  the  unques- 
tioned scholarship  and  the  undoubted  devotion  of 
the  pastor,  whom  we  this  day  delight  to  honor,  for 
his  stainless  life,  for  his  unselfish  labors,  for  his  wise 
and  tender  leadership,  and  for  his  faithful  exposition 
and  fearless,  yet  loving,  deliverance  of  GTod's  message 
to  men.  Hobson  would  never  have  been  immor- 
talized without  Hobson's  heroic  crew.  There  would 
be  no  hero  of  "  Plough  Riders"  without  the  rugged 
manhood  that  bravely  followed.  Were  it  not  for 
noble  bands  of  men  and  women,  whose  hearts  God 
has  touched,  long  pastorates  would  be  impossible. 
Were  it  not  for  such  a  loyal  band  in  this  church,  the 
pastor,  if  among  the  living  at  all,  would  likely  be 
laboring  in  another  field. 

It  is  a  sad  thought  to  any  pastor  that  this  noble, 
godly  band  remains  uncrowned,  unhonored  and  un- 
sung, but  not  unknown,  either  in  this  world,  or 
by  the  recording  angel,  who  faithfully  notes  the 
lovely  lives  and  unselfish  deeds  of  all  those  whose 
hearts  God  has  touched. 

Would  it  were  possible  to  sing  the  song  of  their 
sacrifices,  and  tell  the  story  of  their  devotion,  but 
one  must  be  content  with  the  insufficient  record  of 


H.  G.  STOETZER.  179 

some   general    characteristics    of   this   and    similar 
l)ands. 

Notice,  then  1,  their  Godly  Character ;  2,  their 
Unity  of  Purpose  ;  3,  their  Progressive  Spirit. 

I.  They  are  Godly  in  Character,  because  God 
has  touched  their  hearts,  and  having  touched  their 
hearts, 

1.  They  have  life,  since  God  in  Christ  is  Life. 
"When  King  Midas  touched  a  twig  of  oak,  a  stone, 
or  an  apple,  they  turned  to  gold.  We  have  a  K  ing 
as  far  above  King  Midas  as  the  soul  is  higher  and  of 
greater  worth  than  oak  or  stone  or  apple.  He 
touched  the  lifeless  form  of  a  poor  widow's  son  and 
life  returned.  He  touched  sin-sick  and  sufFerinii; 
humanity  and  made  it  whole.  He  laid  His  loving 
hand  on  the  frail  frame  of  a  feverish  woman  and  the 
fever  left  her.  One  touch  of  His  magic  hand  clothed 
the  demoniac  in  his  right  mind.  The  poor,  despised 
leper,  separated  from  home  and  the  haunts  of  men. 
He  touched  and  restored  to  home  and  happiness. 
At  His  tender  touch  the  water  "  blushed,"  and 
bread  multiplied.  The  ears  of  those  to  whom  music 
had  been  a  stranger  opened  to  His  gentle  touch,  the 
dumb  expressed  their  gratitude  in  melodious  tones, 
and  the  lame  leaped  for  joy.  Under  the  soothing  power 


180  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

and  presence  of  the  Great  Physician  and  Healer  of 
all  hurts,  diseases  of  body  and  soul  flee,  and  infirmi- 
ties depart  to  return  no  more. 

His  work,  however,  is  not  simply  negative,  to  dis- 
pel weakness,  want  and  woe  ;  He  came  for  the  very 
and  only  purpose  of  giving  life,  which  is  more  than 
mere  living,  life  at  once  abundant,  joyous  and  vic- 
torious ;  a  life  filled  with  the  highest  ideals  of  char- 
acter and  the  loftiest  aspirations  for  unselfish 
service.  This  life  He  not  merely  gives,  but  sustains 
by  His  personal  presence,  so  that  each  can  say  with 
Paul,  "  I  am  crucified  with  Christ ;  neverthe- 
less I  live;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ,  liveth  in  me." 
And  the  life  wdiich  He  began  He  also  completes ; 
for  we  are  complete  in  Him,  and  only  in  Him,  and 
Christ  in  us  is  the  hope  of  glory,  and  the  only  hope 
of  a  present  spotless  character  and  final  crowning. 

2.     The  Lord  of  Life  gives  also  Light. 

One  characteristic  of  light  is  to  dispel  darkness. 
Since  God  said :  "  Let  there  be  light,"  light  has 
unceasingly  chased  and  vanquished  the  darkness. 
And  the  Light  which  came,  on  the  blackest  night  of 
the  world's  history,  in  the  form  of  the  seemingly 
helpless  babe  of  Bethlehem,  has  been  growing 
greater  and  brighter  in  power  and  splendor ;  so  that 


11.  (;.  STOF/L'ZKR.  181 

to-day  tluTO  are  few  lands  indeed  where  there  are 
not  some  women  and  men  whose  hearts  have  been 
touched  by  the  spirit  of  Christ  and  His  Gospel  of 
glad-tidings.  He  touched  with  light  those  nighest, 
at  Jerusalem,  and  they  carried  the  Light  of  the 
world  to  the  candles  of  the  Lonl  in  the  uttermost 
parts  of  the  earth.  He  has  been  the  Light  of  the 
lowly  and  the  lofty,  so  that  from  His  day  until  now, 
there  has  been  a  light  to  cheer  the  weary  and  poiiit 
out  the  way  to  the  lost,  and  that  light  will  be  a 
beacon  until  man  shall  cease  and  time  shall  be  no 
more. 

As  light  dispels  darkness,  coldness,  and  impurity 
from  the  hearts  of  men,  it  at  the  same  time  reveals 
duty  and  purity ;  and  unveils  the  way  men  should 
walk ;  and  discloses  new  and  higher  conceptions  of 
life — that  gain  and  enlargement  come  by  losing ; 
increase  in  knowledge  and  abiding  wisdom  Vjy  teach- 
ing; and  growth  in  greatness  through  humble  ser- 
vice. But  Christ  demands  of  those  whose  hearts 
have  been  touched  more  than  service.  He  demands 
self,  surrendered  and  consecrated  ;  and  the  zeal  of 
such  souls  is  mighty  and  matchless,  when  they  think 
of  the  time  misspent,  the  privileges  abused,  the 
opportunities    neglected,  when   they  remember  the 


182  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

judgment  with  the  horror  or  glory  of  unending 
ages,  the  myriads  of  dead  and  dying,  with  few  to 
wake  the  dead  and  rescue  the  perishing. 

Light  besides  dispeUing  darkness  and  unveiling 
duty  beautifies.  Without  light  all  would  be  dull 
and  dark  monotony.  If  God  had  not  enrobed  Na- 
ture with  a  a;arment  of  lio;ht,  there  would  be  no 
blue  above  us  and  no  green  beneath,  no  "  crimson 
streak  on  ocean's  cheek,"  no  forest  as  beautiful  as 
an  army  victorious  with  the  banners  of  fallen  foes, 
no  songsters  with  many-colored  coats,  and  no  flowers 
to  greet  the  weary  wanderers  with  blushing  smiles 
and  refreshing  frao-rance. 

Without  the  Light  among  men  there  might  be  a 
stoical  rit>;hteou3ness,  but  no  love  to  neia!;hbor  as  to 
self,  kindness  to  the  weak  would  be  unknown,  mis- 
sions of  mercy  to  far  oif  lands  undreamed  of,  school- 
houses  would  be  few  and  hospitals  and  asylums 
fewer  still ;  there  would  be  no  cradle  songs  to  close 
infant  eyes,  and  music  if  made  at  all  would  be  to 
incite  the  savage  heart  to  war,  or  celebrate  the  de- 
feat of  adjoining  tribes. 

3.  He  furthermore  gives  power  to  bear  and  dare. 
He  vitalizes,  illumines  and  energizes  every  faculty 
and  function ;  and  transforms  a  fickle  Simon  into  a 


H.  G.  STOETZER.  183 

Rock,  whom  tlie  threats  of  a  synagogue  could  not 
move.  Fo]'  the  God  of  Israel  giveth  strength  and 
power  unto  His  people.  Daniel  says,  when  there 
was  no  strength  in  him,  and  breath  had  left  him, 
then  there  came  aQ;ain  and  touched  him  One  like  the 
appearance  of  a  man,  and  He  strengthensd  him  and 
said,  "  0  man  greatly  beloved,  fear  not ;  peace  be 
tmto  thee  ;  be  strong,  yea,  be  strong.  And  I  was 
strengthened,  and  said.  Thou  hast  strengthened  me." 
When  God  touched  the  sons  of  Gad,  men  of  the  wil- 
derness and  men  of  might,  the  least  was  equal  to  a 
iiundred  and  the  greatest  equal  to  a  thousand.  For 
they  that  stand  ready  and  obedient  in  His  presence 
shall  change  their  weakness  for  His  strength  ;  they 
shall  mount  up  with  wings  as  eagles  ;  they  shall  run, 
and  not  be  weary  ;  and  they  shall  walk,  and  not 
faini.  This  sentence,  dropped  from  the  li})S  of  an 
unknown  speaker,  "  The  world  has  never  yet  seen 
what  God  can  do  with  a  man  wholly  possessed  by 
God,"  is  said  to  have  changed  the  life  of  the  most 
distinguished  Christian  worker  of  our  age. 

The  simple  condition  of  such  transforming  power 
is  a  surrendered  life  in  living  touch  and  communion 
with  the  Son  of  the  living  God ;  then, 


184  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

"  Weak  as  you  are  you  shall  not  faint, 
And  fainting,  shall  not  die  ; 
Jesus,  the  strength  of  every  saint, 
Shall  aid  you  from  on  high." 

II.     This  Band  is  United  in  Purpose. 

1.  The  best  and  most  effective  union  demands, 
"first,  separation.  This  Band  separated  itself  from 
the  sons  of  BehaL  Paul  has  in  mind  a  similar 
thought  when  writing  to  the  Corinthians,  where  he 
says,  What  concord  or  agreement  hath  Christ  with 
Belial?  Wherefore  come  out  from  among  them, 
and  be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord,  and  touch 
not  the  unclean  thing ;  and  I  will  receive  you, 
and  will  be  a  Father  unto  you,  and  ye  shall 
be  My  sons  and  daughters.  Some  one  said  to  a 
sincere  child  of  God,  "  I  would  give  the  world 
if  I  had  your  faith,"  and  he  replied,  "  Well,  that  is 
just  what  it  costs."  To  be  influential  in  the  world 
one  must  not  conform  to  the  world.  Abraham  out 
of  Sodom  had  more  influence  in  and  over  Sodom  than 
Lot,  who  abode  there.  The  Spirit  of  God  must  first 
separate  Paul  and  Barnabas  from  among  men,  and 
then  send  them  to  the  Gentiles.  Without  this  defi- 
nite and  separating  experience  life  will  be  feeble  and 
effort  powerless. 

2.  Separation  for  the  purpose  of  isolation  is  ruin. 


H.  Cr.  STOETZER.  185 

l)ut  separation  for  the  purpose  of  combination  is 
power.  Charcoal,  saltpetre  and  sulphur  are  quite 
harmless,  but  combined  form  gunpowder  ;  and  car- 
bon, oxygen  and  hydrogen  produce  nito-glycerine. 
Christians  are  to  be  separated,  and  then  formed  into 
bands  and  an  army,  with  Christ  as  Captain,  going 
forth  conquering  and  to  conquer,  with  His  banner 
over  them — "  Love."  Wesley  said,  with  a  band 
of  twelve,  who  hated  nothing  but  sin,  and  loved  the 
Lord  only,  he  would  convert  the  world.  We  need 
such  l)ands  in  every  church,  with  a  motto  over  its 
entrance,  "  All  at  it,  and  always  at  it."  Then  would 
the  Church  be  edified,  and  the  Kingdom  of  our  Lord 
extended. 

3.  The  bond  of  this  liaml  is  Love,  which  is  the 
bond  of  perfectness.  Li  an  age  when  all  are  tempted 
to  seek  their  own,  and  not  the  things  of  Jesus 
Christ,  love  is  needed  to  melt  the  hardness  and  the 
coldness,  and  drive  away  the  bitterness,  and  fuse 
into  an  irresistible  and  irrepressible  band ;  and  when 
God  touches  hearts  love  to  one  another  and  Him 
will  follow,  for  He  is  Love,  and  first  loved  us. 
"  One  touch  of  nature  makes  the  whole  world  kin." 
One  touch  of  Jesus  Christ  makes  all  men  brothers. 
It  is  said  that  Lincoln's  favorite  verse  was  this : 


186  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

I  live  for  those  who  love  me, 

For  those  who  know  me  true, 

For  the  Heaven  that  smiles  above  me 

And  awaits  my  coming  to. 
For  the  cause  that  needs  assistance, 
For  the  wrongs  that  need  resistance, 
For  the  future  in  the  distance. 

For  the  good  that  I  can  do." 

Touched  by  the  spirit  of  Jesus  one  can  say  with 
Him,  when  hated  and  persecuted,  "  Father,  forgive 
them  ;  tor  they  know  not  what  they  do,"  and  with 
Paul,  "  I  am  made  all  things  to  all  men  that  by  all 
means  I  might  save  some."  This  is  the  purpose  of 
every  godly  band  and  Jesus  is  the  power  and  bond, 
and  every  member  a  bound-servant  to  Him. 

III.  This  band  was  progressive  in  spirit,  because 
it  went  with  Him. 

1.  In  harmony  with  Him  :  they  as  Enoch  before, 
walked  with  Him  in  the  same  direction,  having  the 
same  tendencies,  the  same  object  and  purpose.  His 
Word  will  not  be  searched  for  texts  to  sanction 
questionable  conduct,  nor  will  He  be  petitioned  in 
prayer  to  bless  selfish  schemes,  but  His  Word  will 
be  read  and  He  himself  will  be  sought  to  find  the 
way,  and  the  spirit  in  which  they  should  walk. 
They  pray  not  that  He  might  meet  with  them,  but 
that  they  might  move  with  Him,  while  He  is  march- 


H.  G.  STOKTZER.  187 

ing  on;  and  that  He,  and  He  through  them  may 
cast  shadows  of  healing  on  the  hopeless,  and  give 
liope  to  the  helpless. 

2.  This  daily  walking  l)y  our  Savour's  side  will 
heget  Mutual  Trust.  Company  and  Captain  may 
agree  and  move  against  a  common  enemv,  vet  there 
may  be  lacking  mutual  confidence  and  heart-har- 
mony. On  one  occasion  when  the  Jews  saw  the 
miracles  Jesus  did  many  believed  in  his  name,  but 
Jesus  would  not  commit  himself  unto  them,  be- 
cause he  knew  all  men,  and  needed  not  that  any 
should  testify  of  man,  because  he  knew  what  was  in 
man.  On  the  last  Great-Day,  when  the  angel  Ga- 
briel shall  summon  with  his  golden  trumpet  all  the 
children  at  men  for  each  to  give  an  account  of  himself 
for  the  deeds  done  in  the  body  ;  there  will  be  many 
in  that  multitude  to  say,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not 
prophesied  in  Thy  name  ?  cast  out  devils,  and  done 
many  wonderful  works  ?  And  Jesnis  will  say,  I 
never  knew  you  as  a  member  of  the  band  whose 
heart  God  touched.  One  must  possess  as  well 
as  profess ;  one  must  have  a  godly  character  as 
well  as  a  goodly  name  ;  God-likeness  as  well  as 
the  form  of  godliness.  The  lives  of  myriads 
are   poor  and  puny,  suidess  and    songless,  because 


188  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

Jesus  could  not  trust  His  Word,  His  Spirit, 
Himself  to  them.  Trust  Him  truly  and  He  will 
trust  you,  "  With  a  love  that  shall  not  die,  till  the 
sun  grows  cold,  and  the  stars  are  old,  and  the  leaves 
of  the  Judgment  day  unfold,"  and  He  will  love  you 
as  He  did  the  disciples  unto  the  end. 

3.  And  lastly,  the  band  of  men  and  women  whose 
hearts  Jesus  touches,  purifies  and  inspires,  must  keep 
step  with  Him,  and  must  be  content  to  take  but  one 
step  at  a  time.  Not  ahead,  as  Peter  was  when  he  cut 
off  Malchus'  ear,  nor  behind,  when  he  followed  the 
Lord  afar  otf,  and  denied  Him.  We,  too,  like  Peter, 
are  sometimes  ahead  of  Jesus,  and  sometimes  behind. 
Our  feet  are  swift  to  run  into  evil,  and  slow  on 
missions  of  mercy ;  the  hands  are  quick  to  strike 
and  tardy  to  give  ;  the  tongue  of  many  is  in  haste 
to  rob  of  reputation,  to  plunge  a  "  dagger"  into 
hearts,  and  divide  homes,  but  slow  to  cheer  and  en- 
courage the  desponding  and  despairing ;  the  eyes 
are  quick  to  see,  and  even  magnify  motes  into  beams, 
but  are  to  graces  and  virtues  very  blind.  The  only 
c«ure  for  going  too  fast  or  going  too  slow  is  walking 
.with  Jesus,  belonging  to  the  band  whose  body,  soul 
and  spirit  God  has  touched,  who  possess  Jesus,  and 
are  possessed  by  Him,  and  are  willing  to  go  into  the 


H.  G.  STOETZER.  180 

highway  and  hedges,  and,  with  a  love  that  never 
tails,  compel  men  to  come  into  an  inheritance  in- 
corruptible, undefiled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away. 

And  the  pastor  needs  to  stand  by  him,  and  u]i- 
hold  his  hands,  and  to  go  with  him,  a  band  of  men 
and  women,  whose  hearts  God  has  touched,  and 
trained  and  inspired,  who  will  lift  burdens  from 
breaking  backs,  wipe  tears  from  weeping  eyes,  drive 
away  sighing  and  sorrow  from  suffering  saints,  and 
]>luck  the  pallor  from  pale  cheeks,  and  clothe  them 
with  a  smile. 

The  pastor,  your  pastor,  needs  in  the  futui'e,  as 
there  has  gone  with  him  in  the  past,  such  a  band  to 
chase  away  the  gloom  of  declining  years,  cheer  his 
heart  with  the  joy  of  your  presence  and  personal 
work,  prolong  his  days  to  bless  your  children  as  he 
has  you,  and  crown  his  life  with  unfading  flowers 
and  fragrance,  and  make  him  rich  in  the  jewels  of 
ransomed  souls. 


190  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

[In  the  absence  of  Eev.  M.  J.  Eckels,  D.  D.,  Pas- 
tor of  the  Arch  Street  Church,  Philadelphia,  who 
was  providentially  detained  from  coming  to  Carlisle 
for  these  anniversary  services.  Rev.  George  S. 
Chambers,  D.  D.,  Pastor  of  the  Pine  Street  Church, 
Harrisburg,  was  called  out  from  the  audience,  and 
made  a  very  happy  impromptu  speech  of  congratu- 
lation. If  he  had  been  able  to  furnish  a  copy  of  his 
admirable  address,  it  would  have  been  printed  in  its 
place  in  these  proceedings.  Though  prevented  by 
sickness  from  appearing  in  person,  Dr.  Eckels  has 
kindly  furnished  his  address  in  manuscript,  and  it  is 
presented  herewith.] 

"  THE  COMPARATIVE  ADVANTAGES  OF  COUNTRY  AND 

CITY  pastorates: 

BY 

REV.  MERVm  J.  ECKELS,  D.  I). 

Good  People  of  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Carlisle  : — I  appear  among  you  on  this 
happy  occasion  as  one  of  the  "  Sons  of  this  Church," 
and  the  son  of  one  whom  you  all  honored  as  an  Elder 
of  this  congregation  for  many  years.  Having  been 
invited  to  speak  to  you,  I  chose    this    topic,  not  so 


MEKVIN  J.   KCKELS.  lOi 

much  because  of  ''  what  I  know"  about  city  and 
country  pastorates  generally — although  I  shoubi 
know  something  by  experience,  having  spent  eleven 
years  in  the  pastorate  in  country  or  town  chun-hes, 
and  five  years  of  pastoral  service  in  the  heart  of  a. 
great  city — but  I  chose  this  topic  because  it  was 
suggested  by  the  experience  of  our  beloved  pastor  of 
thirty  years,  whom  we  meet  to  honor  to-day.  Thirty 
years  ago  he  came  to  this  quiet  country  town,  and 
began  his  ministry  among  us.  The  whole  land  was 
then  before  him  as  a  young  man.  Some  of  us  will 
remember  how  frequently,  in  his  earlier  ministry, 
our  pastor  was  invited  to  preach  in  city  pulpits,  and 
what  complimentary  things  were  said  aliout  him  on 
those  occasions. 

I  am  sure  he  could  not  contradict  me  if  I  should 
say,  that  in  those  days  the  doors  of  some  very  de- 
sirable city  churches  seemed  ready  to  open  at  the 
touch  of  his  friends,  had  he  so  much  as  "  winked  at" 
it.  Dr.  Norcross  chose  to  abide  in  the  countrv,  and 
feed  his  flock,  which  scattered  far  and  wide  over 
these  fertile  fields  of  our  peaceful  valley.  I  have 
often  wondered  at  this ;  for,  though,  like  myself, 
country-bred,  he  seemed  to  me  possessed  of  all  the 
tastes  and  habits   of  a   city   man.     Our  pastor  has 


192  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

ever  been  a  lover  of  libraries  and  assemblies  of  "  the 
brethren,"  such  as  abound  in  the  city.  To-day,  as 
we  meet  to  review  these  thirty  years,  I  find  myself 
wondering  whether  he  could  have  been  more  useful 
or  more  happy  in  a  city  pastorate  than  here  in  Car- 
lisle. As  to  some  things,  I  can  only  speculate  ;  as 
to  other  matters,  experience  enables  me  to  speak 
with  confidence. 

T  am  persuaded  that  had  he  gone  early  to  the 
city,  he  could  scarcely  have  become  the  ripe  scholar 
that  he  is  to-day.  The  scholar  is  nourished,  not  so 
much  by  the  great  public  libraries  as  by  his  own 
well  selected  library.  I  am  confident  that  few  Pres- 
byterian pastors  in  Philadelphia  to-day  possess  such 
a  library  as  hides  the  walls  of  the  study  in  our 
Manse  in  Carlisle.  If  they  do  own  so  many  of  the 
best  books,  they  have  not  been  able  to  read  them  as 
he  has.  The  scholar  needs  not  only  books,  but 
quiet  hours — protracted,  undisturbed  periods  for 
thought.  This  is  almost  impossible  in  a  great  city, 
where  a  prominent  pastor  is  subject — not  only  to 
the  demands  of  his  own  people,  but  of  a  great  pub- 
lic, ever  bent  on  robbing  him  of  the  time  that 
belongs  to  his  own  congregation.  "  By  their  fruits 
ye  shall  know  them."    What  Presbyterian  pastor  in 


MEP.VIN  J.  ECKELS.  193 

the  city  of  Philadelphia — save  Dr.  McCook,  who  is 
simply  a  "  wonder  "  as  a  worker — has,  during  these 
thirty  yeai's,  put  into  permanent  form  so  many 
addresses  and  chapters  of  history  as  our  pastor  ? 
To  the  Church  at  large,  I  am  sure  he  has  been  more 
useful  in  the  country  than  he  could  have  been  in 
the  city  pastorate. 

Perhaps  there  is  another  reason  why  our  country 
pastor  has  always  been  a  scholarly  jireachcr.  Lyman 
Abbott,  early  in  his  pastorate  in  Plymouth  Church, 
where  he  had  surprised  himself  as  well  as  his  peo- 
ple by  developing  into  a  popular  speaker,  told  them 
that  they,  by  their  manner  of  hearing,  had  made 
him  what  he  had  become.  So  I  may  say  of  the 
people  of  this  Second  Presbyterian  Church  of  Car- 
lisle. This  is  a  "  College  town."  The  place  has  a 
traditional  Jove  of  learning.  I  know  that  the  aver- 
age man  and  woman  of  this  congregation — as  I 
knew  it,  twenty-five  years  ago — did  more  reading 
and  thinking  on  historical,  philosophical  and  theo- 
logical subjects,  than  the  average  man  and  woman 
as  I  know  them  in  our  city  churches  to-day.  They 
had  more  time  and,  perhaps,  more  taste  for  it. 
Great  commercial  and  social  centres  may  be  con- 
ducive to  "  high  living,"  but  not  to  "  high  thinking." 


194  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

Perhaps    our   pastor   is  what   he   is,  as  a  preacher, 
because  his  people  have  made  him  so. 

Concerning  another  thing  I  am  quite  sure,  Dr. 
Norcross,  as  a  city  pastor,  could  not  have  known 
his  people,  or  been  known  by  them,  as  he  has  been 
in  Carlisle.  No  man  can  know  a  congregation  of  a 
thousand  people  as  he  needs  to  know  them.  Even 
our  lamented  Dr.  John  Hall,  of  New  York,  a  rare 
exception  in  this  respect,  could  not  do  it.  The 
amount  of  personal  intercourse  possible  with  each 
individual  is,  necessarily,  too  limited  to  permit 
intimate  acquaintance  with  many.  If  I  may  be 
allowed  to  introduce  personal  experience,  I  would 
simply  refer  to  the  fact,  that,  when  pastor  in  a 
country  town,  it  was  m.y  privilege  to  receive  into 
the  church,  upon  confession,  scores  of  men.  In  my 
city  pastorate  the  number  of  men  thus  received  has 
been  small  in  comparison.  The  difference  in  result 
has  been  chiefly  due  to  the  difficulty  of  securing 
personal  intercourse  with  men,  who  can  rarely  be 
seen  at  home  and  never  in  their  places  of  business 
without  the  presence  of  others.  A  city  pastor  is 
supposed  to  be  well  known,  while  a  country  pastor 
is  regarded  as  obscure.  On  the  contrary,  any  stranger 
coming  into  Carlisle  might  enquire  for  Dr.  Norcross 


MERVIN  J.  ECKELS.  195 

of  any  man  whom  he  might  chance  to  meet,  with 
the  assurance  that  he  would  be  able  to  point  him 
out;  but  you  would  encjuire  in  vain  for  your 
speaker,  in  Philadelphia,  except  in  the  vicinity  of 
his  own  church.  And  again,  I  may  ask,  how  many 
of  our  city  pastors  are  so  well  known  throughout  all 
the  churches  as  our  country  pastor  here  in  Carlisle  ? 
Nevertheless,  the  city  pastorate  has  its  advan- 
tages. Whether  a  man  can  be  as  happy  there  as  in 
the  country  will  be  determined  by  his  personal  tastes 
and  habits.  That  he  can  be  as  useful,  I  fully  be- 
lieve. If  he  communes  less  with  books  and  with 
nature,  he  comes  more  into  contact  with  persons  of 
all  classes,  and  learns  to  adapt  himself  to  an  ever- 
changing  environment.  If  in  the  country  lie  can  do 
more  for  a  few  persons  ;  in  the  city  he  can  do  some- 
thing to  help  more  persons.  He,  if  accessible,  be- 
comes a  bureau  of  information  to  pastors  seeking 
entrance  to  vacant  pulpits,  to  a  procession  of  young 
men  and  women  seeking  employment  and  companion- 
ship in  our  great  city,  to  keepers  of  boarding-houses 
and  those  going  to  sojourn  where  they  may  find  a 
place.  There  are  more  "  lonely  hearts  to  cherish" 
in  the  city  than  the  country,  more  discouraged  ones 
to  be  heartened  and  more  "  lost  sheep  of  the  house 


196  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

of  Israel"  to  be  gathered  into  the  fold.  The  city 
pastor  finds  more  opportunity  to  minister  to  those 
in  Hospitals  and  Homes  for  the  Aged  and  Friend- 
less. The  whole  field  of  city  missions  and  public 
charities  lies  about  him,  and,  like  his  Master,  he 
may  constantly  go  about  doing  good.  The  conclu- 
sion of  the  whole  matter  is  this  :  The  best  place  for 
every  pastor  is  where  God  wants  him — whether  in 
city  or  country.  In  this,  too,  we,  who  meet  to  greet 
and  honor  our  pastor  to-day,  with  true  hearts  that 
are  loyal  yet,  after  thirty  years,  are  agreed  ;  that 
we  have  wanted  him  and  God  has  wanted  him  all 
these  years  in  the  country  pastorate,  in  this  good 
town  of  Carlisle,  and  this  has  been  the  best  place  for 
him. 


DR.  SHELDON  JACKSON.  197 


"outlook  of  the  church  for  the  twentieth 
century: 

BY 

REV.  SHELDON  JACKSON,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

For  the  past  two  days  we  have  been  upon  the 
mount  of  privilege.  We  have  met  in  spirit  with  the 
noble  men  and  women  who,  sixty-six  years  ago, 
established  this  Church,  and  their  successors  who 
have  carried  it  forward  so  efiiciently  until  the  pres- 
ent. We  have  been  encouraged  by  the  united  testi- 
mony of  those  wlio  have  spoken  upon  this  occasion 
with  regard  to  the  sound  orthodoxy  that  is  the 
heritage  of  this  people,  and  the  liberality  with  which 
they  have  sought  in  the  past  to  obey  the  divine  com- 
mand to  "  disciple"  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jeru- 
salem. 

The  missionary  spirit,  home  and  foreign,  exhibited 
by  this  Church  in  its  history  is  known  throughout 
the  earth,  and  I  have  no  doubt  the  feeling  in  all 
hearts  present  is,  that  it  is  good  to  be  here,  and  that, 
like  Peter,  James  and  John  upon  the  Mount  of 
Transfiguration,  we  would  fain  erect  altars  of  thanks- 


i9S  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

giving  and  joy,  and  rest  here  from  our  labors.  But 
this  cannot  be.  The  early  disciples  descended  from 
the  Mount  of  Transfiguration  to  meet  their  baffled 
associates,  who  could  not  heal  the  demoniac  ;  and 
we  likewise  will  pass  from  this  mount  of  privilege 
and  these  days  of  special  enjoyment  to  again  take 
up  our  life-work,  again  to  struggle  with  temptation 
and  sin,  and  ay-ain  engao'e  in  the  battle  of  life.     As 

'  O  DO 

doubtless  the  scene  on  the  Mount  of  Transfiguration 
was  a  special  preparation  to  Peter,  James  and  John 
for  their  great  prominence  as  "  pillars  in  the  Church" 
and  leaders  among  the  apostles  ;  so  we  have  in  the 
good  Providence  of  God  been  brought  to  this  joyous 
occasion  as  a  preparation  for  further  work.  We 
cannot  live  in  the  past ;  it  is  but  a  preparation  for 
the  future.  The  memor}^  of  past  achievements 
should  strengthen  our  faith  to  attempt  stil]  greater 
things  for  the  Master. 

The  times  in  which  we  live  demand  more  heroic 
living  on  the  part  of  Christians  ;  there  has  perhaps 
never  been  a  time  in  the  history  of  the  world  when 
there  was  so  great  unrest  among  all  classes  of  people 
in  all  civilized  lands ;  there  has  never  been  a  period 
in  the  history  of  the  world  when  great  changes 
have  been  so  rapid ;  when  the  demands  of  the  King- 


DR.  SHELDON  JACKSON.  199 

(iom  upon  the  children  of  God  have  been  so  great. 
The  adidt  portion  of  this  audience  can  remember 
when  large  portions  of  the  earth  were  closed  against 
the  missionary,  and  the  united  prayer  in  ^Monthly 
Concert  and  in  Christian  homes  and  hearts  was  for 
an  "open  door."  Then  nation  after  nation  was 
thrown  open  to  the  Gospel,  and  the  cry  went  up  for 
more  men  and  women  to  enter  the  work.  The  men 
and  women  were  supplied,  and  now  the  great  cry  of 
the  Church  should  be  for  such  a  baptism  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  as  will  enable  all  Christians  to  recog- 
nize their  stewardship  so  that  the  treasuries  of  the 
House  of  the  Lord  may  be  filled  to  overflowing,  and 
thousands  of  men  and  women  who  are  oifering 
themselves  for  work  can  be  sent.  The  orthodoxy  of 
this  Church  in  the  past  is  a  grand  foundation  for 
enlarged  work  in  the  future.  Its  well-known  liber- 
ality in  the  past  is  but  a  training  for  Church-giving 
and  greater  consecration  in  the  days  to  come — the 
preparation  for  better  coming  up  to  the  help  of  the 
Lord  in  a  time  like  this.  We  cannot  without  sin 
drop  back ;  we  cannot  do  less  than  in  the  past ;  we 
cannot  remain  where  we  are ;  we  must  go  forward. 
We  stand  before  a  future  vast,  momentous,  a})- 
palling;  vast  in  its  possibilities,   momentous  in  its 


-200  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

opportunities,  appalling  in  its  results.  As  we  face 
this  unknown  future,  I  do  not  wonder  that  the  poli- 
tician and  the  statesman  shrink  back ;  but  I  can 
not  conceive  how  the  Christian,  with  the  promises 
of  God  behind  him  foreshadowing  the  complete  tri- 
umph of  good  over  evil,  resting  upon  the  everlasting 
arm  for  strength,  and  following  where  infinite  wis- 
dom leads  should  hesitate  or  hold  back. 

All  progress  is  life,  "expansion."  When  we  cease 
to  press  forward,  we  do  not  simply  stand  still ;  we 
go  back.  To  the  Church  of  the  Living  God  there  is 
no  going  back — there  is  no  standing  still ;  if  the 
Church  is  faithful  to  her  divine  Lord  and  Master 
she  must  press  forward  in  both  religious  and  civil 
matters.  There  must  be  ceaseless  effort  to  purify 
the  Government.  Unflao-o-ing  work  to  leaven  the 
masses  with  Christianity  ;  heroic  attempts  to  take 
possession  of  the  world  for  Christ.  And  if,  in  the 
Providence  of  God,  lands  are  unexpectedly  brought 
under  our  flag,  it  is  simply  an  indication  of  the 
divine  will  that  we  are  to  have  the  protection  of  that 
flag,  and  its  assistance  in  Christianizing  and  civiliz- 
ing these  populations  unacquainted  with  our  Chris- 
tian civilization.  It  is  to  give  us  better  vantage 
o-round  for  Christian  work. 


DR.  SHELDON  JACKSON.  201 

At  such  a  time  not  only  the  whole  body  of  believers 
.should  press  forward,  but  each  individual  church 
should  realize  more  and  more  that  they  have  been 
created  and  blessed  for  church  work  and  church  giv- 
ing, and  more  fervent  prayer  for  a  day  like  this. 

Let  us  then,  with  the  opening  of  the  new  year 
and  the  commencement  of  a  new  period  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  life  of  this  church,  hail  the  future  with 
joy,  and  "  forgetting  those  things  which  are  behind, 
and  reaching  forth  unto  those  things  which  are 
before,"  let  us  "  press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize 
of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus."  Let 
the  one  burning  thought  of  our  hearts  day  and  night 
V»e  the  speedy  triumph  of  the  Eedeemer's  Kingdom. 
Let  our  own  study  and  thought  and  prayer  day  by 
day  be  that  we  be  found  faithful  in  our  places  in 
securing  this  triumph.  Let  us  see  to  it  that  thus 
we  do  our  whole  duty  as  good  soldiers  in  Christ's 
army. 

I  congratulate  you  on  the  past,  I  bid  you  God 
speed  for  the  future. 


ADDRESSES. 

Monday  Evening,  January  2,  1S99. 


DUNCAN  M.  GRAHAM,  ESQ,., 

President  of  the  Board  of  Trustees, 

Presiding. 

MR.  GRAHAM: 

When  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Arrange- 
ments informed  me  that  I  had  been  selected  by  the 
Committee  to  preside  to-night,  I  felt  keenly  the 
honor  conferred,  but  I  felt  it  was  not  so  much  a 
personal  compliment  as  a  compliment  intended  for 
the  lay  side  of  the  Church — to  the  Board,  whicli  I 
have  the  honor  to  represent,  and  to  the  Congregation 
at  large,  that  it  might  be  recognized  on  this  joyous, 
occasion. 

Perhaps  there  was  some  desii'e  on  the  part  of  the 
Committee  to  connect  those  of  us  who  bear  the  bur- 
den and  heat  of  the  day  with  tho.-o  worthies,  of  whom 
we  heard  so  eloquently  and  ably  yesterday,  a  ven- 


204  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY, 

eratecl  lather  having  occupied  for  nearly  thirty  years 
the  position,  which  the  partiality  of  my  fellow- 
members  of  the  Board  has  conferred  upon  me ;  and 
I  would  be  unfaithful  to  myself,  unfaithful  to  the 
earnest  convictions  of  my  heart,  did  I  not  bring  to- 
night to  our  Pastor,  from  the  lay  element  Oi  this 
church,  the  esteem  and  love  of  a  loyal  and  united 
congregation. 

Thirty  years  of  ministerial  life ;  three  decades  of 
human  effort  in  the  most  exalted  position  that  can 
come  to  man, — that  is  the  occasion  we  are  celebrating 
here  to-night. 

We  of  the  laity  are  proud,  modestly  proud,  of 
some  things ;  we  are  proud  of  our  Church  organiza- 
tion ;  we  are  proud  of  our  Church  itself ;  we  are 
proud  of  our  educated  ministry ;  we  are  humbly 
proud  to  think  that,  since  its  organization,  the 
Presbyterian  Church  has  been  the  bulwark  against 
infidelity  in  all  of  its  forms — at  all  times.  The 
grosser  forms  of  infidelity  are  easily  met  and  van- 
quished, but  the  subtler  forms  of  infidelity — those 
forms  which  require  a  cultivated  intellect — and  the 
strong  cultured  intellect  of  manly  men  to  combat — 
have  been  met  by  the  educated  ministry  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church    and   vanquished  upon  a  hundred 


rONGRATULATIONS.  205 

l)attlefields.  We  are  proud  of  the  part  that  our 
educated  ministry  took  in  the  formation  of  the  Con- 
stitution, wliieh  governs  and  controls  this  Union  of 
States  to-day.  Yesterday  we  heard  how  the  men  of 
our  church  took  jxirt  in  the  formation  of  that  instru- 
ment ;  how  it  was  modeled  after  the  organization  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church ;  how  it  has  stood  the 
storms  and  stress  of  time.  It  resisted  the  efforts  of 
the  contractionists  in  1861,  and  under  the  Provi- 
dence of  God  it  will  be  equal  to  all  the  requirements 
of  mistaken  expansion  in  this  the  morning  twilight 
of  the  Twentieth  Century. 

For  the  lay  side  of  the  Church,  I  may  say  this : 
I  can  say  that  the  Pastor  of  this  church  has  tln' 
loyalty  and  the  devotion  of  a  united  people.  I  can 
say,  furthermore,  that  there  never  was  a  time  in  the 
history  of  the  Church  when  the  Church  was  stronger 
and  more  able,  nay  more  willing  to  contribute  to  all 
those  charities,  to  all  those  boards  which  go  to  make 
up  the  active  work  of  a  Christian  Church. 

We  are  happy  in  this  occasion  ;  glad  of  the  oppor- 
tunity it  gives  us  to  say  to  our  );)astor  and  to  the 
people  of  the  Church  that  we  are  firmer  and  stronger 
in  the  faith.  The  learned  gentleman  who  addressed 
you  yesterday  said   that  the  past  is  secure.     I  .say 


206  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

to  y'ou  that  the  future  is  no  less  secure.  To  doubt 
the  future  is  to  discredit  the  thirty  years  of  teach- 
ing of  the  man  of  God  who  has  wrought  so  faithfully 
during  all  that  time ;  it  is  to  discredit  the  teachings 
of  the  fathers  and  the  teachings  of  the  mothers  at 
whose  knees  we  learned  our  prayers  and  our  Shorter 
Catechism.  We  are  ready  now  as  our  forefathers 
were  to  maintain  the  teachings  of  the  Church  in  all 
their  purity  and  in  their  strength.  As  I  stand  in 
this  Church  to-night,  beneath  this  beautiful  Gothic 
arch  it  seems  symbolic  of  our  faith  ;  one  span  founded 
upon  this  Book,  between  which  and  us  no  mere  man 
shall  ever  come ;  the  other  founded  upon  the  right 
of  private  judgment,  and  that  founded  and  bottomed 
upon  an  educated  conscience,  and  meeting  together 
at  the  top  in  beauty  and  grace,  complete  the  arch 
of  our  royal  Presbyterian  faith.  I  believe  that  the 
young  men  of  the  Church  will  maintain  it  as  strong 
and  pure  and  beautiful  as  it  was  handed  down  to  us 
by  those  who  have  gone  before,  and  who  rest  in  the 
shade  of  the  trees  on  the  other  side. 

And  now  our  friends  have  come  to-night  to  rejoice 
with  us  on  this  occasion.  It  has  been  stated  by  a 
learned  writer  that  the  first  lawyer  in  a  community 
should  be  and  ought  to  be  and  generally  is  the  first 


CX^NGRATU  LATIONS.  2U7 

citizen  of  that  community,  and  there  is  good  reason 
in  this.  When  he  combines  character  and  integ- 
rity and  purity  of  life  ;  when  he  has  the  respect  and 
love  and  esteem  of  every  one,  one  to  whom  the 
widow  and  orphan  turn  in  time  of  deepest  distress 
and  woe,  surely  such  a  citizen  is  a  blessing  to  any 
community.  We  have  such  a  citizen  with  us  to- 
night. He  is  of  our  faith,  although  not  in  our 
church,  and  I  take  pleasure  in  introducing  to  you 
one  to  whom  your  thoughts  will  instantly  turn, — 
Judge  Henderson. 

HON.  R.  M.  HENDERSON: 

I  thank  you,  Mr.  Chairman,  foryoar  introduction. 
When  I  was  first  asked  to  be  present  upon  this  occa- 
sion, some  five  or  ten  minutes  were  allowed  me.  Sub- 
sequently it  was  kindly  suggested  that  I  might  make 
a  short  speech.  I  assure  you  that  I  shall  not  trespass 
upon  the  time  or  patience  of  this  audience,  for  I  will 
keep  within  the  limit  first  suggested — five  or  ten 
minutes. 

I  am  here  without  exordium,  and  I  have  no  apology 
to  make,  for  I  am  a  volunteer,  not  a  regular.  It  is, 
however,  with  unfeigned  pleasure  that  I  arise  to  say 
a  word  upon  this  most  interesting  occasion — the  an- 


208  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

niversarv  of  a  pastorate  of  thirty  years.  Think  of 
it — a  full  generation  has  come  an  and  gone  out  be- 
fore him  whom  we  honor  to-night.  This  at  once 
brings  into  view  the  pulpit  and  the  pew — the  preacher 
and  the  people.  We  are  told  that  this  Church — the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church — is  sixty-six  years  old, 
and  that  the  present  pastorate  covers  almost  half  of 
that  period.  How  suggestive  !  Who  has  gone  be- 
fore ?  I  recall  the  learned  and  scholarly  McGill. 
The  eloquent  and  incisive  Moore.  The  quiet,  patient, 
lovable,  saint-like  Johnston.  To  follow  in  the  foot- 
steps of  these  men  of  mark,  and  to  hold  the  people 
down  to  the  work  inaugurated  by  them  for  so  long  a 
pastorate,  is  an  honor  that  cannot  be  measured  by 
any  words  of  mine.  I  simply  place  upon  his  brow, 
"  Well  done." 

But  what  of  this  congregation  ?  Whence  comes 
it?  Your  lathers  and  your  mothers,  now  looking 
down  upon  this  hallowed  scene,  point  to  the  gray 
walls  of  the  old  First  Church  and  proudly  claim  that 
as  their  first  resting  place  in  the  pilgrimage  of  life 
here  below. 

But  you  tell  me  there  has  been  a  separation,  and 
speak  of  the  New  School  and  the  Old  School.  And 
this  formed  part  of  the  historical  discourse  to  which 


CONGRATULATIONS.  2()9 

we  listened  with  so  much  attention  and  profit.  And 
now  historically  speaking,  the  line  of  demarkation 
has  grown  so  thin,  failing  even  to  rest  in  the  most 
vivid  imagination,  that  it,  like  Mason  and  Dixon's 
line,  has  become  a  thing  of  the  past.  And  your 
historian  does  not  fail  to  tell  us  that  it  was  only  a 
finger  point  of  Providence  to  a  higher,  broader  and 
more  enobling  re-union  of  hearts  and  of  hands  in 
the  Presbyterian  fold.     All  to  the  glory  of  God  ! 

There  is  one  thing  of  significance,  pointed  out 
yesterday.  When  this  people  went  out  to  new  pas- 
tures, you  left  us  the  property,  but  you  took  all  the 
money,  and  have  been  living  on  fat  things  ever 
since.  I  may  say,  however,  you  divided  the  grace. 
You  did  leave  us  the  pastor  and  some  of  the  sainted 
elders.  I  believe  it  was  Dr.  Sprole  who  said,  or  is 
reported  to  have  said,  of  these  noble  men  of  the  First 
Church,  that  there  never  would  be  peace  in  his 
church  till  one  of  his  elders  was  in  Heaven,  and  the 
other  at  Oberlin.  We  know  that  the  one  reached 
his  destination  upon  earth,  and  grounded  in  the 
faith,  we  believe  that  the  other  was  registered  on 
High. 

I  congratulate  you  people  of  this  congregation 
upon    wdiat   has    gone   before,    I    congratulate  you 


210  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

upon  the.^e  days  and  upon  this  house,  I  congratulate 
you  upon  the  strength  and  beauty  of  these  walls.  I 
congratulate  you  upon  the  manna  which  has  sancti- 
fied your  lives  since  you  went  out  from  the  old  First 
Church. 

But  I  hear  the  cry,  "Watchman,  what  of  the 
niajht  ? "  The  morninp:;  cometh,  the  morning  of 
opportunity,  the  morning  of  preparation  ;  the  morn- 
ing of  victory,  for  the  enemy  are  without  on  hill 
and  in  valley  thirsting  for  the  blood  of  your  people, 
your  lands  and  your  cattle.  But  fear  not ;  led  by 
your  great  Captain  against  the  enemy,  fighting 
under  the  Kino-  of  Kino-s,  when  the  nis-ht  cometh, 
your  banner  will  sweep  over  the  ramparts. 

But,  my  dear  sir,  I  would  be  unjust  to  my  own 
feelings  if  I  failed  to  bow  in  reverence  to  your  life- 
work  here  ;  your  manhood  in  the  pulpit,  and  in  the 
community,  ever  abreast  with  reform,  loved  as  a  man, 
respected  as  a  citizen.  I  congratulate  you  upon  the 
possession  of  this  people  who  sit  at  your  feet  and 
strew  your  pathway  with  flowers  ;  this  wall  of  sep- 
aration between  us — these  flowering  plants  and  beau- 
tiful evergreens  which  decorate  this  platform —  is  a 
loving  tribute  of  true  devotion  from  your  people.  I 
congratulate  you  upon  days  and  months  and  years  of 


CONGRATULATIONS.  211 

peace   and  joy    and   happiness  among  this  people. 

But,  ah,  sir,  your  paths  are  not  always  strewed  with 

roses.     In  all  the  wide  range  of  humanity,  if  there 

is  deep  soitow,  it  comes  to  the  pastor  of  a  loved  and 

and  loving  people.     The  unljidden  tear  may  dim  the 

manly  eye,  for  the  dearest  ties  of  affection  have  been 

sundered  time  and  time  again.     Tears  may  furrow 

the  blanched  cheek.     The  pain  of  anguish  may  fill 

the  heart  of  pastor  and  of  people, 

But  remember  : 

"Brief  life  is  here  our  portion, 
Brief  sorrow,  short  lived  care  : 
The  life  that  knows  no  ending — 
The  tearless  life  is  there." 


ME.  D.  M.  GRAHAM: 

When  we  Presbyterians  think  of  the  founder  of 
our  faith,  the  great  Calvin,  our  thoughts  almost  al- 
ways turn  to  that  other  great  Reformer,  and  almost 
cotemporary  of  Calvin,  Luther,  and  we  feel  that  the 
roses  which  clamber  over  the  very  low  wall  which 
divides  us  in  doctrine  shed  their  fragrance  alike  on 
Lutheran  and  Presbyterian.  I  have  the  honor  to 
present  to  you  Dr.  Wile. 


212  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

DE.  H.   B.   WILE: 

I  very  much  appreciate  the   reference  which  the 

honored  Chairman  of-  this  meeting  has  given  to  our 

great  Reformer,  Luther,   in   connection   with  your 

Calvin  ;  and  although  I  think  that  we  may  differ  on 

some  points  of  doctrine,  nevertheless  the  little  couplet 

comes  to  my  mind  which  runs  something  like  this  : 

"  We  are  not  one,  and  yet  not  two, 
But  look  alike  as  sisters  do." 

When  the  good  pastor  of  this  church  asked  me  to 
take  a  place  on  the  programme  this  evening,  accord- 
ing to  his  usual  modesty,  he  suggested  that  what 
I  might  say  should  be  very  moderate,  that  I 
should  not  be  at  all  extreme  in  my  remarks  of  con- 
gratulation. The  request  reminded  me  of  a  story 
that  is  told  of  Dr.  Bethune,  whom  some  of  you  may 
have  known. 

He  was  asked  on  a  certain  occasion  to  officiate  at 
the  funeral  services  of  a  man  who  had  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Society  of  Spiritualists.  The  wife  of  the 
man  had  been  brought  up  a  good,  strict  Presbyte- 
rian, but  had  finally  been  persuaded  to  go  with  her 
husband  to  his  society.  After  his  death,  the  brothers 
of  the  man  who  had  died  insisted  that  there  should 
be  no  minister  there.     The  widow,  however,  recalling 


CONGRATULATIONS.  21 3 

the  good  training  of  her  girlhood  days,  insisted  upon 
having  a  Presbyterian  minister,  and  Dr.  Bethune  was 
asked  to  conduct  the  services.  The  day  after  the 
funeral  one  of  the  brothers  met  the  Doctor,  and  said, 
''Doctor,  we  didn't  like  that  sermon  that  you  preached 
yesterday."  The  Doctor  said,  "  I  am  not  surprised, 
sir,  because  I  know  your  faith,  and  I  can  readily 
understand  that  you  would  not  agree  with  what  I 
said."  "  But,"  the  brother  added,  "  that  is  not  all,  I 
want  to  say  ;  the  widow  is  not  any  better  pleased 
with  the  sermon."  "  AVell,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  I 
can't  help  even  that ;  if  I  were  asked  to  do  the  same 
thing  again,  I  am  sure  I  would  talk  in  the  same 
way."  Then  in  a  storm  of  indignation  he  said, 
"  That  is  not  the  worst,  sir;  last  night  we  called  up 
the  spirit  of  our  departed  brother,  and  he  said  that 
he  was  not  at  all  pleased  with  your  sermon." 
"  Why,"  said  the  Doctor,  "  the  impudent  fellow  !  I 
have  been  preaching  funeral  sermons  for  fifty  years, 
and  that  is  the  first  corpse  that  has  ever  had  the 
audacity  to  speak  back  at  me."  Now,  I  am  some- 
what in  the  same  situation.  I  am  very  much  afraid 
that  if  my  congratulation  does  not  suit  Dr.  Norcross, 
he  may  speak  back  at  me. 

The  greatest  compliment  that  can  be  given  to  any 


214'  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

minister  of  the  Gospel  can  certainly  be  given  to  Dr. 
Norcross,  and  that  is,  that  he  preaches  Jesus  Christ. 
•To  be  good,  and  to  be  constantly  trying  to  make 
others  good,  to  be  giving  one's  whole  life-work  in 
trying  to  make  men  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus,  is  the 
highest  ideal  of  the  ministry,  and  I  feel  assured  that 
Dr.  Norcross  has  been  doing  that  here  among  you 
lor  the  past  thirty  years. 

Not  very  long  ago  I  heard  of  a  man  who  happened 
to  become  the  pastor  of  a  very  prominent  church  in 
Chicago,  and  after  being  there  a  short  time,  he  gave 
evidence  that  he  was  not  orthodox,  and  so  was  dis- 
missed from  the  congregation.  A  fevv^  years  later  he 
happened  to  be  in  Chicago  over  Sunday,  and  asked 
the  privilege  to  preach  once  more  to  these  people, 
whom  he  had  served  in  former  years.  The  pastor 
of  the  church,  knowing  the  man  and  his  creed,  hesi- 
tated, and  finally,  though  with  great  reluctance, 
consented.  The  church  was  crowded  to  the  doors. 
For  one  hour  the  man  denounced  the  idea  of  the 
necessity  of  an  atonement,  and  ridiculed  the  need  of 
a  Saviour.  The  pastor  of  the  church  waited  pa- 
tiently till  he  was  through,  and  then,  without  a  word 
of  comment,  he  turned  to  the  congregation  and  an- 
announced    the    249th    Hymn.      The    great   organ 


CONGRATULATIONS.  215 

commenced  lairly  to  throb  as  if  her  pipes  knew  what 
it  all  meant.  Stop  after  stop  was  added,  as  if  the 
organist  realized  that  even  the  great  organ  could  not 
quite  do  itself  justice.  Then  the  wdiole  congregation 
rose  to  its  feet,  and  every  man,  woman  and  child 
joined  in  the  service,  and  with  a  fervor  such  as  they 
had  never  known  before,  sang : 

"  All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name, 
Let  angels  prostrate  fall ; 
Bring  forth  the  royal  diadem, 
And  crown  Him  Lord  of  all." 

It  was  enough  of  a  rebuke.  They  gave  evidence 
that  they  still  believed  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I 
feel  very  confident  that  if  you  should  ever  be  so  un- 
fortunate as  to  have  such  preaching  as  that,  you  as 
a  congregation  would  be  so  well  instructed  that  you 
would  at  once  be  aroused,  and  expel  from  your  pulpit 
the  man  who  would  not  follow  after  the  blessed 
Christ,  whom  Dr.  Norcross  has  preached  to  you  so 
faithfully  for  the  past  thirty  years. 

Dr.  Norcross,  I  congratulate  you.  I  congratulate 
you  that  these  good  people  have  recognized  your 
true  worth ;  that  they  have  recognized  the  charac- 
ter of  the  preaching  which  you  have  done  for  these 
many  years,  and  have  ever  been  glad  to  uphold  you 
and  cooperate  with  you  and  love  you.     My  dear 


216  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

friends,  I  congratulate  you  as  members  of  the  Second 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Carlisle,  that  for  thirty  years 
Dr.  Norcross  has  been  willing  to  stay  with  you,  and 
has  been  able  to  endure  you,  for  I  am  sure  that 
in  his  estimation  there  is  no  other  congregation 
quite  as  nice  and  quite  as  desirable  as  this  con- 
gregation which  he  has  learned  to  love  so  dearly. 

A  few  months  ago  in  New  York  City,  when  our 
"  boys  in  blue  "  came  back  from  the  scenes  of  war,  the 
whole  city  was  out  to  meet  them.  Great  throngs 
lined  the  entire  route  from  the  Battery  to  the  Ar- 
mory. You  remember  that  as  soon  as  the  men 
touched  our  shores,  the  bands  played  "  The  Star 
Spangled  Banner  "  and  the  chimes  on  old  Trinity 
sang  out  "  Home  Sweet  Home  "  and  the  great  mass 
of  human  beings,  the  great  mass  of  eager,  anxious, 
loving  hearts  that  had  gathered  about  the  Armory, 
.sang, 

"  Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow, 
Praise  Him,  all  creatures  here  below: 
Praise  Him,  above,  ye  heavenly  host, 
Praise  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost." 

That  is  about  what  you  people  have  been  doing 
for  these  two  days,  and  you  have  great  reason  for 
gratitude  and  thanksgiving.  To-night  you  are  prais- 
ing God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow,  because  He 


CONGRATULATIONS.  217 

has  watched  over  you  and  l)lessed  you  so  alAindantly 
as  pastor  and  people. 

Dr.  Norcross,  again  I  congratulate  you,  and  pray 
very  sincerely  that  when  your  course  is  run,  and 
the  goal  is  reached,  you  may  have  sparkling  in  your 
crown  many  precious  souls  whom  you  have  led  by 
the  aid  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  our  blessed  Lord. 

MR.  D.  M.  GRAHAM: 

If  I  were  to  ask  Dr.  Norcross  to-night  who, 
amongst  the  pastors  of  the  town,  had  been  his 
strongest  allv  in  his  warfare  against  that  old  com- 
mon enemy  we  heard  of  in  one  of  the  sermons  of 
yesterday,  I  am  sure  that  he  would  speak  the  name 
of  one  who  is  here  to-night,  one  who  is  strong  in 
disputation  and  able  in  |)olemics,  yet  possesses  all 
the  lovely  graces  of  character  that  make  up  the 
ideal  pastor  and  Christian  gentleman.  I  present  to 
you  Dr.  Frysinger. 

DR.  W.  M.  FRYSINGER  : 

When  I  came  to  Carlisle  in  the  Spring  of  1870  to 
take  charo;e  of  what  was  then  the  Emorv  Church,  I 
found  here  as  genial  and  scholarly  a  body  of  preach- 
ers as  I  have  ever  had    the    good    fortune   to  meet 


218  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

with.  Dr.  AVing  was  then  pastor  of  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Cliurch.  A  man  as  firm  as  a  rock  in  prin- 
ciple, and  yet  as  gentle  as  a  woman  in  manner.  I 
do  not  think  that  it  detracts  in  the  least  from  the 
nobleness  of  his  character  to  say  that  he  was  one  of 
the  most  motherly  men  I  have  ever  known.  Dr. 
Swartz  was  Pastor  of  the  First  Lutheran  Church; 
a  man  whose  voice  was  music  and  whose  speech  was 
poetry.  Dr.  Foulk  was  pastor  of  the  Pteformed 
Church ;  a  solid,  sensible,  good  man.  He  was  my 
next  door  neighbor,  and  he  was  very  fond  of  garden- 
ing. The  fence  between  our  lots  was  as  low  as  the 
denominational  fence  between  us,  and  he  would  now 
and  then  hand  me  over  a  bunch  of  his  famous  cel- 
ery, and  at  the  same  time  some  of  his  practical 
remarks,  as  acceptable  and  as  palatable  as  this  lus- 
cious vegetable,  which  expressions  I  would  store 
up  and  often  use  in  some  of  my  own  sermons. 

I  learned  a  great  deal  from  Dr.  Norcross  also  in 
those  days.  He  preceded  me  by  about  two  years, 
and  we  were  the  youngest  pastors  in  the  city  at  that 
time,  and  I  think  he  feels  as  I  do  that  we  are 
the  two  youngest  pastors  in  the  town  now.  Under 
the  imperative  rule  of  our  Church,  I  was  compelled 
to  leave  this  pleasant  community  at  the  end  of  three 


CONGRATULATIONS.  219 

years,  and  it  was  twenty-one  years  more  before  I 
returned  to  take  charge  of  the  Allison  Memorial 
Church.  In  this  interval,  I  filled  four  different 
positions,  which,  with  my  first  and  [)resont  term  of 
service  in  Carlisle,  makes  six  terms  of  service,  dur- 
ing: all  of  which  Dr.  Norcross  has  remained  with 
these  same  people  at  this  same  Church.  As  a  loyal 
Methodist,  subscribing  to  the  polity  of  our  Church, 
which  prescribes  an  itinerant  ministry,  I  am  placed 
in  an  anomalous  position  this  evening,  as  I  presume 
I  am  expected  to  congratulate  Dr.  Norcross  and  his 
people  on  the  advantages  of  a  settled  pastorate, 
nevertheless  I  can  do  this  conscientiously  and  hear- 
tily. 

Each  system  has  its  advantages  and  disadvan- 
tages. "John,"  said  the  country  mother  to  her 
boy,  who  had  made  up  his  mind  to  leave  the  old 
farm  and  go  out  into  the  great  world  and  seek  his 
own  fortune,  "a  rolling  stone  gathers  no  moss." 
"  Yes,  mother,  that  is  true,"  replied  the  boy,  "  but 
a  setting  hen  lays  no  eggs."  I  am  just  now  con- 
fronted with  the  fact  that  in  three  months  1  must 
leave  my  present  field  of  labor  and  go  out  like  Abra- 
ham "  not  knowing  whither,"  and  I  confess  a  settled 


220  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

pastorate  would  have  at  this  time  some  charms  for 

me. 

In  a  lengthy  term  of  service  such  as  your  Pas- 
tor has  rendered  here,  I  recognize  some  great 
advantages.  One  is,  that  it  compels  a  minister  to 
be  on  his  good  behavior ;  he  must  necessarily  be  an 
example  lor  both  believers  and  unbelievers,  for  the 
eyes  of  the  entire  community  are  upon  him.  He 
must  pray  very  earnestly  and  faithfully  while  so 
many  are  doing  the  watching,  and  must  walk  as  he 
prays.  Of  all  men,  a  pastor  must  walk  most  cir- 
cumspectly. A  brother  of  my  own  Conference  was 
once  an  innocent  illustration  of  this.  Screams  were 
heard  coming  Irom  the  parsonage,  and  a  number  of 
persons  rushed  to  a  window  and  looked  in.  To  their 
surprise  they  beheld  his  wife  running  about  the 
room,  while  he  was  striking  at  her  excitedly  with  a 
cane.  Although  this  couple  were  as  amiable  and 
affectionate  as  any  married  pair  I  have  ever  known, 
it  took  them  months  to  convince  their  congregation 
and  community  that  the  husband  was  not  a  wife- 
beater,  but  in  this  instance  was  heroically  trying  to 
kill  a  mouse  which  had  taken  refuge  in  the  folds  of 
the  lady's  dress.  Dr.  Norcross,  should  one  of  these 
dreadful  animals  ever  attack  your  good  lady,  take 


CONGRATULATION.^.  221 

my  advice, — do  not  run  for  your  cane,  but  run  after 
the  members  of  your  Session,  and  call  them  in  for 
her  protection,  and  thus  save  your  own  reputation. 

Seriously,  I  congratulate  you,  Doctor,  on  having 
gone  in  and  out  before  this  community  all  these 
years,  and  sustained  an  unblemished  reputation.  It 
is  a  great  moral  achievement  for  a  minister,  under 
the  trying  events  of  ministerial  life,  to  be  looked 
upon  as  above  reproach  for  so  long  a  time,  and  to 
maintain  the  appreciation  and  good-will  of  a  congre- 
gation like  this.  I  see  another  great  advantage  in 
60  long  a  pastorate,  in  that  it  compels  a  minister  to 
do  his  best.  "We  Methodist  ministers,  being  com- 
pelled to  go  from  one  place  to  another,  can  preach 
our  famous  sermon  on  "  Simon's  wife's  mother  lay 
sick  of  a  fever"  as  often  as  we  move,  without  com- 
plaint from  our  hearers  ;  but  if  a  settled  pastor  were 
to  venture  upon  as  many  diagnoses  of  this  celebrated 
case,  it  would  not  be  long  before  both  sul)ject  and 
preacher  would  be  i)ut  in  quarantine.  I  am  about 
concluding  a  term  of  five  years  of  service,  and  in 
that  time  my  people  have  heard  five  hundred  ser- 
mons or  more  ;  but  when  I  recall  the  brain-sweat 
these  sermons  have  cost  me,  and  the  nervous  chills 
that  thev  have  given  me  in  their  delivery,  I  stand 


222  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

aghast  at  the  thought  that  during  thirty  years  these 
solemn  talks  would  be  modified  just  six-fold  ;  and  as 
I  look  at  Dr.  Norcross,  and  think  he  has  gone  through 
all  this,  I  feel  like  repeating  the  first  line  of  the 
hymn  which  we  sang  at- our  New  Year  service  yes- 
terday, "  And  are  we  yet  alive,  and  see  each  other's 
face  ?" 

I  congratulate  you,  Doctor,  that  you  have  endured 
all  this,  and  yet  preach  with  a  freshness  and  vigor 
which  cause  you  to  be  in  greater  demand  for  special 
occasions  than  ever.  In  twenty-one  years  from  now 
I  hope  to  come  back  to  Carlisle  again  (that  is  the 
nearest  I  can  calculate  it  according  to  the  orbit  in 
which  I  have  been  moving),  and  I  expect  to  see  Dr. 
Norcross  looking  just  as  hale  and  hearty  as  he  does 
now,  and  find  him  preaching  with  just  as  much  vigor 
as  ever.  Should  I  not  be  so  fortunate  as  to  return 
to  Carlisle  again,  I  have  "  good  hope  through  grace," 
which  is  a  Methodist  as  well  as  a  Presbyterian 
phrase,  to  get  to  a  better  place  than  Carlisle,  and, 
Doctor,  let  me  say  in  Methodist  parlance, 

"If  I  get  there  before  you  do, 
I'll  shout  to  see  you  coming  too." 

You  will  find  me  in  the  New  Jerusalem,  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Hallelujah  street  and  Glory  avenue,  and  when 


CONGIlATrLATIONS.  223 

you  come  along,  walk  right  in,  without  knocking, 
and  while  my  wife  accompanies  us  on  her  golden 
harp,  we  will  sing,  ''  We'll  never  say  good-l»ye." 

MR.  D.  M.  GRAHAI^I  : 

Sixty-six  years  ago  our  fathers  left  the  old  home- 
Btead  over  on  the  Square,  and  started  out  to  make 
a  new  home  for  themselves.  In  their  new  home 
they  grew  and  prospered,  but  the  love  and  esteem 
they  had  for  the  old  place  never  left  them,  nor  their 
children.  We  are  one  in  the  faith  in  which  we  be- 
lieve ;  we  may  be  "  distinct  as  the  billows,"  yet  we 
are  "one  as  the  sea."  The  memories  of  those  who 
established  the  Presbyterian  faith  in  the  Cumber- 
land Valley,  in  the  old  Church  on  the  Sqnare,  are 
just  as  dear  to  us  as  to  those  who  remain  in  the  old 
homestead,  and  the  names  of  Steele  and  Dufheld, 
Nisbet  and  Davidson,  and  the  saintly  Dr.  Wing  are 
part  of  our  heritage,  of  which  we  are  truly  proud. 

The  pastor  of  the  old  homestead,  of  the  old  Church, 
is  here  to-night,  and  we  shall  be  glad  to  hear  from 
Mr.  Hagerty. 

REV.  A.  N.  HAGERTY. 

My  Dear  Brother  : — We  are  here  to  extend 
our  congratulations  to  vou,  this  evening,  not  because 


224  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

you  have  lived  so  long,  as  pastor  of  this  church,  but 
that  you  have  lived  so  well.  The  life  of  the  pastor 
of  a  great  congregation,  like  this  one,  over  which 
you  have  so  graciously  and  successfully  presided, 
during  this  long  period  of  happy  yeare,  is  not  meas- 
ured by  time,  but  by  deeds.  A  person  may  occupy 
a  great  deal  of  space  or  time  in  this  world,  only  to 
waste  it.  Such  has  not  been  the  record  of  your  life 
during  these  years.  As  the  Apostle  John  com- 
mends Demetrius,  "  There  is  good  testimony  from, 
every  one,  and  from  the  church,  and  from  the  truth 
itself,"  (3  John,  12.  Syriac  V.);  so  do  we  com- 
mend you. 

This  church,  with  its  splendid  history,  standing 
for  the  Truth  immovable,  zealous  for  the  spread  of 
the  Gospel  in  every  mission  field  of  the  world,  is 
your  imperishable  monument,  It  will  "  give  good 
testimony  "  to  you  and  your  work,  while  it  remains 
"one  stone  upon  another." 

But  it  is  the  Truth,  the  Word,  the  Christ,  mir- 
rored in  your  own  life,  that  "sounds  forth"  your 
praises  this  night.  After  all  has  been  weighed,  man 
is  the  "  greatest  thing  in  the  world."  For  man  the 
Church  is  in  the  world.  While  the  ultimate  and 
supreme  purpose  of  the  Church  is  the  glory  of  God, 


CONGRATULATIONS.  22o 

yet  her  direct  and  immediate  reason  for  existence  is 
the  redemption  of  lost  man.  Within  her  walls 
man  is  to  be  redeemed  by  the  Blood  of  Christ,  com- 
pleted in  Him,  for  the  "  Everlasting  Habitations." 
It  is  when  the  Apostle  of  Love  sees  in  Demetrius  as 
in  a  mirror  one  walking  like  unto  the  Son  of  Man. 
that  he  holds  him  in  the  very  highest  esteem. 

So,  My  Dear  Brother,  as  these  people  of  this 
church  and  community  have  seen  in  you,  as  you 
walked  among  them,  the  living  Christ  manifested, 
have  they  held  you  in  all  honor. 

But,  sir,  while  we  gather  here  to  congratulate  you, 
and  bestow  upon  you  the  fullest  measure  of  credit 
due  you  for  the  splendid  work  you  have  been  per- 
mitted to  accomplish  as  the  Lord's  minister  to  this 
people,  yet  we  cannot  lay  all  the  crowns  at  your  feet, 
nor  would  you  accept  such  a  tender.  * 

There  is  a  great  deal  in  blood.  Li  fact,  the  divine 
word  says  that,  "  Li  the  blood  is  the  life."  This 
Church  is  of  nol;)lc  ancestry.  Great  things  were 
doubtless  expected  of  you  by  the  worthy  fathers  who 
sent  forth  this  nursling  congregation.  They  gave 
you  a  good  dowery,  and  expected  you  to  keep  the 
blood  clean.  That  you  should  have  kept  it  up  to 
the  standard  is  greatly  to  your  credit. 


226  A  TPIIBTIBTH  ANNIVEESARY. 

To  change  the  figure.  As  the  stream  cannot  rise 
higher  than  the  fountain,  neither  did  the  Old  Stone 
First  expect  that  you  would  be  greater  than  you 
have  been.  Nobly  have  you  done  your  work.  A 
"  Good  man,  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,"  stood  at  the 
altar  when  you  were  consecrated  and  sent  forth,  and 
of  that  same  Spirit  you  have  grown  rich  in  good 
works,  and  strong  in  numbers  and  resources. 

"We  felicitate  you  on  the  occurrence  of  this  happy 
event.  To  both  pastor  and  people  we  bear  the 
hearty  congratulations  of  the  Old  Mother  Church, 
and  devoutly  pray  that  you  may  long  be  spared  in 
efiicient  labors  for  our  common  Lord  and  Master. 

MK.  D.  M.  GRAHAM: 

One  hundred  and  sixty-six  years  ago  there  came 
into  the  Cumberland  Valley  a  set  of  men,  sturdy, 
manly  men,  driven  from  home,  in  search  of  that 
liberty  which  was  denied  them  there.  They  were 
Scotch  Highlanders  and  Scotch  Lowlanders ;  they  had 
stayed  for  a  short  time  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  hence 
the  term  "  Scotch-Irishmen ;"  they  came  on  and  up 
into  the  Cumberland  Valley ;  they  brought  with 
them  that  love  of  home,  that  love  of  learning,  that 
love  of  God,  which  all   the  bloody  dragoons  of  Cla- 


CONGRATULATIONS.  227 

verhoiise  could  not  take  from  them.  They  founded 
schools ;  they  built  churches  ;  and  believing  in  an 
educated  ministry,  they  founded  Dickinson  College. 
It  prospered  for  a  time,  and  then  for  l-easons  which 
I  need  not  state  here  to-night,  that  institution  wa.^ 
turned  over  to  a  strong  sister  denomination,  under 
which  it  has  flourished  and  grown  strong  and  power- 
ful. 

Our  interest  as  a  Church  in  the  old  Colles-e  has 

O 

never  waned  or  lessened,  and  the  noblest  and  most 
beautiful  specimen  of  architecture  that  adorns  the 
old  campus  is  a  gift  of  a  member  of  this  church,  in 
memory  of  a  devoted  husband  and  father  ;  and  the 
ground  upon  which  the  beautiful  Denny  Hall  stands, 
which  has  just  been  completed  through  the  energy 
and  effort  of  the  present  head  of  the  institution,  wa.« 
donated  by  a  Presbyterian  family.  Therefore,  our 
interest  in  the  old  institution  is  still  as  strong  as 
ever,  and  we  are  glad  and  proud  of  the  fact  that  it 
has  grown  in  strength  and  might  and  power,  although 
we  regret  that  it  is  no  longer  a  Presbyterian  insti- 
tution. We  have  with  us  to-night  the  head  of  that 
institution,  and  we  shall  be  glad  indeed  to  hear  from 
the  able  and  scholarly  President,  Dr.  Reed. 


228  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSAEY. 

m.  GEO.  EDWAED  KEED : 

Mr.  Chairman,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  : — It 
is  a  very  great  pleasure  for  me  to  respond  to  the 
kind  invitation  of  the  committee  having  in  hand  the 
arrangement  for  this  anniversary,  and  to  join  with 
the  many  friends  of  our  honored  brother,  the  Kev. 
Dr.  Norcross,  in  hearty  congratulations  on  the 
auspicious  event  now  being  commemorated.  I  am 
to  speak,  as  I  understand,  in  the  first  place  as  the 
representative  of  the  old  college  in  whose  fortunes 
our  Presbyterian  friends  have  taken  such  great 
interest  in  the  hundred  and  more  years  of  its  event- 
ful history. 

Speaking  for  the  college,  I  cannot  forget  its  deep 
obligations  to  those  men  of  Presbyterian  stock  who 
were  interested  in  its  foundation  and  early  develop- 
ment during  the  first  seventy  or  eighty  years  of  its 
eventful  history.  It  is  a  great  thing  in  this  world 
to  be  well  born,  and  that  Dickinson  was  well  born, 
of  course,  goes  without  saying ;  for  as  you  all 
know,  it  had  its  origin  very  largely  under  Presby- 
terian auspices.  Up  to  1833  it  was  very  largely 
under  Presbyterian  control,  and  during  the  years 
of  its  subsequent  history  the  kind  feeling  of  the 
Presbyterians  of  the  country  toward  the  old  college 


CONGRATULATIONS.  220 

has  undergone  no  change.  Very  much  of  its  ma- 
terial growth,  as  your  honored  President  has  inti- 
mated, has  come  to  us  through  Presbyterian  chan- 
nels ;  and  as  gratitude  has  been  defined  as  "  a  lively 
expectation  of  favors  to  come,"  we  beg  you  all  to 
believe  that  we  are  most  sincerely  and  profoundly 
grateful  for  the  favors  which  have  been  received — 
a  clear  intimation  of  our  large  expectations  of  our 
Presbyterian  friends  for  the  coming  years. 

It  is  a  matter  for  congratulation  that  the  students 
of  Dickinson  College  have  had  the  opportunity  dur- 
ing so  many  years  of  hearing  not  onlv  the  men  of 
the  religious  body  under  whose  general  auspices  the 
college  now  exists,  but  also  the  discourses  of  the  able 
and  distinguished  men  who  have  filled  the  pulpits  of 
the  churches  of  Carlisle.  The  requirement  of  Dick- 
inson is  that  each  student  shall  attend  the  church 
which  he  may  elect  as  his  church  home  once  upon 
each  Sabbath.  They  have  full  liberty  of  election,  and 
are  privileged  to  attend  the  services  of  churches  other 
than  those  elected  during  the  remaining  portion  of  the 
day.  Some  of  them  keep  this  regulation,  it  is  true, 
in  the  spirit  far  more  than  in  the  letter.  But  the 
large  numbers  in  attendance  at  the  various  churches 
of  the  city  attest  the  attractive  power  of  the  manv 


230  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY.     ■ 

able  men  who  adorn  the  pulpits  of  the  town  of  Car- 
lisle. I  am  sure  that  Dr.  jSTorcross  has,  during  all 
these  years,  seen  very  many  of  the  students  of  the 
college  in  attendance  upon  the  services  of  this 
church ;  and  I,  as  the  President,  have  had  profound 
satisfaction  in  the  fact  that  the  opportunity  of  hear- 
ing so  able  and  earnest  and  accomplished  a  minister 
of  the  Word  as  is  Dr.  Norcross  has  been  the  privi- 
lege of  our  young  men.  Quite  a  large  number  of 
our  students  also  have  been  Presbyterians  in  faith, 
and  members  of  this  Church,  and  from  these  I  have 
heard  frequent  expressions  of  the  deep  and  abiding 
interest  taken  Ijy  Dr.  Norcross  in  their  welfare. 
The  services  of  Dr.  Norcross  have  been  of  invaluable 
assistance  to  hundreds  of  our  men.  So,  on  behalf  of 
the  old  college,  I  desire  to  congratulate  this  eminent 
minister  of  the  Gospel  upon  the  successful  comple- 
tion of  thirty  years  of  ardent  service,  and  to  wish 
him  a  fervent  God-speed  for  years  to  come. 

Having  now  spoken  briefly  from  the  standpoint 
of  the  college,  allow  me,  in  conclusion,  to  say  a  word 
for  myself.  Sitting  here  to-night  and  listening  to 
the  continued  eulogies  pronounced  upon  my  eminent 
brother,  I  have  been  asking  myself,  "  How  is  Dr. 
Norcross  feeling  under  all  this  outflow  of  apprecia- 


CONGRATULATIONS.  231 

tion,  all  these  expressions  of  congratulation,  oi 
esteem  and  of  respect?"  He  must,  I  am  sure,  feel 
very  proud  and  I  feel  like  saying  to  him,  as  my 
good  mother  used  to  say  to  me  so  frequently — in- 
deed, almost  every  day  of  the  week  :  "  George,  I 
hope  that  my  boy  will  keep  humble."  I  am  sure  that 
Mrs.  Norcross  to-night  and  for  many  days  to  come 
will  have  to  say  to  her  excellent  husband,  "  George 
be  sure  that  you  keep  humble."  Still,  for  all  that 
has  been  said  about  you,  my  dear  Doctor,  I  fear 
that  she  must  feel  even  prouder  than  yourself,  and 
so  perhaps  the  best  advice  that  I  can  give  is,  be 
sure  that  both  of  you  keep  humble. 

We  have  been  hearing!;  a  o-reat  deal  about  Dr. 
Norcross.  Very  much  as  to  his  character  as  a  citi- 
zen, his  standing  as  a  man,  his  orthodoxy  of  doctrine, 
his  wonderful  success  as  the  expounder  of  Scripture, 
of  the  vigorous  way  in  which  he  contends  for  the 
faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints  ;  so  much,  indeed, 
that  I  have  been  wondering  if  anything  would 
remain  lor  me  to  say  when  my  turn  to  speak  should 
come.  One  thought  came  to  me  which  perhaps  i.« 
my  salvation.  During  all  these  anniversary  services 
Dr.  Norcross  has  been  the  continual  theme;  as  if 
there  were  no  one  remaining  worthy  of  mention  in 


232  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

connection  with  liis  work.  But,  my  dear  Doctor,  it 
occurs  to  me,  that  in  all  this  outflow  of  good  feeling 
they  have  ignored  the  person  who  more  than  any 
other  has  made  your  success  possible,  who  has  been 
back  of  all  your  triumphs  and  without  whose  smiles 
and  zeal,  companionship  and  co-operation,  you  would 
not  have  accomplished  one-half  of  what  you  have 
been  able  to  accomplish.  By  your  side  sits  a  beau- 
tiful, modest  and  accomplished  woman — the  woman 
who  has  practically  made  you,  and  still,  so  far  as  I 
know,  not  one  word  has  been  said  about  her — the 
woman  whom  everybody  loves  and  esteems.  What 
would  you  have  been  without  her,  the  constant 
rfharer  of  your  joys  and  your  stay  and  abiding  sup- 
port ?  All  must  have  been  impressed  by  the  remark- 
able neatness  of  the  Doctor's  appearance.  Always 
he  looks  as  though  fresh  from  the  hands  of  his 
tailor.  Whoever  saw  him  when  he  was  not  as  it 
were  "spick  and  span."  How  many  have  stopped 
to  reflect  that  he  poses  before  his  wife  and  passes 
the  ordeal  of  her  examination  before  he  appears  in 
public ! 

x\gain,  he  has  been  preaching  sermons  here  for 
thirty  years.  Think  of  it !  Two  sermons  a  day  for 
thirty  years.     But  did  you  ever  stop  to  think  that 


CONGRATULATIONS.  233 

for  Mrs.  Norcross  there  has  practically  been  twu 
sermons  every  Sabbath  for  sixty  years  ?  Do  you  not 
know  that  every  sermon  that  the  Doctor  has  preached 
has  been  rehearsed  before  Mrs.  Norcross  prior  to  its 
public  delivery,  and  that  she  has  been  compelled  to 
hear  them  twice  over  each  week  ?  Sixty  years  of 
preaching  for  her  from  Dr.  Norcross,  while  you  have 
had  but  thirty,  and  still  no  gray  hairs  are  visible. 
All  hail  and  all  honor  to  the  pastor's  wife,  beloved 
by  every  one  in  Carlisle  privileged  with  her  ac- 
quaintance. Seriously  speaking,  it  is  in  the  power 
of  the  pastor's  wife  ordinarily  to  make  or  unmake 
him  so  far  as  his  success  is  concerned.  No  duty, 
therefore,  can  be  more  im})ortant  than  for  a  man  in- 
tending the  pastorate,  to  select  a  competent  and 
helpful  companion.  Dr.  Norcross,  allow  me,  there- 
fore, to  say  with  all  sincerity  and  truth — and  in 
uttering  the  words  I  am  sure  I  am  but  expressing 
the  sentiments  of  hundreds  of  people  who  have  known 
her  during  these  vears,  and  loved  her — that  much 
of  your  success  as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus 
Christ  has  been  due  to  your  noble  and  etfective 
help-mate.  May  God's  blessing  be  upon  you  both, 
therefore,  and  may  you  long  l)e  comrades,  to  work 


234  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

tot^ether  for  the  glory  and  honor  of  our  common  Lord 
and  Master,  Jesus  Christ. 

I  remember  hearing  the  late  William  Evarts  tell 
of  a  woman  who,  at  thirty  years  of  age,  married  a 
man  of  sixty,  A  friend,  calling  upon  her  a  short 
time  after  the  wedding,  found  the  lady  dissolved  in. 
tears.  "Are  you  unhappy?"  said  the  friend. 
"  Very  unhappy,  indeed,"  was  the  reply.  "  Has 
your  husband  been  unkind  to  you?"  "  No,  no  man 
could  be  kinder."  "  Have  you  had  any  differences, 
such  as  are  common  sometimes  between  husbands 
and  wives?"  "  There  has  never  been  the  slightest 
unpleasantness  between  us."  "  Then,  why  do  you 
appear  to  be  so  distressed  ?  What  are  you  worrying 
about?"  "Well,  you  must  remember  that  I  am 
thirty  years  of  age  and  he  is  sixty,  and  while  that  is 
all  right  now,  I  am  worrying  myself  to  death  when 
I  think  that  when  I  will  be  sixty  he  will  be  one 
hundred  and  twenty."  That  is  what  has  been 
worrying  me.  I  have  been  thinking  that  Dr.  Nor- 
cross  has  officiated  in  this  Church  for  thirty  years, 
and  you  have  not  had  any  candidate  for  this  Church 
for  thirty  years,  and  consequently,  you  do  not  know 
the  pleasure  there  is  in  selecting  a  candidate.  I  am 
thmkm^  what  on  earth  will  become  of  you  after  Dr. 


CONGRATULATIONS.  235 

Norcross  has  celebrated  his  sixtieth  anniversary,  and 
you  have  to  go  a-candidating.  Some  time  ago,  in  a 
neii>:hborin<i'  Presbyterian  Church,  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  select  a  new  pastor.  Time  elapsed,  and 
the  cono-reeration  desired  information  as  to  how  the 
committee  were  succeeding  in  their  task.  Finally, 
the  following  report  was  read,  and  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  doing  the  reading  :  "  Your  committee  begs  to  re- 
port that  during  a  period  of  nine  months  we  have 
heard  and  examined  seventy-five  men.  We  have 
not  made  any  selection  yet,  but  we  are  hoping  that 
in  a  few  weeks  we  shall  be  able  to  report  to  you  that 
we  have  selected  a  man  who  will  possess  all  the 
t|ualities  which  the  various  members  of  this  congre- 
gation have  intimated  to  us  they  desire  their  future 
pastor  to  possess."  When  we  think  that  in  that  case 
seventy-five  men  were  examined,  how  many  will 
have  to  be  examined,  Doctor,  to  fill  your  place  when 
it  shall  become  vacant  ? 

I  am  rejoiced  that  for  thirty  years  we  have  had  in 
the  pulpit  of  this  noble  church  a  man  of  broadest 
scholarship,  of  largest  humanity,  of  profound  and 
reverent  faith,  one  familiar  with  all  the  questions 
and  shifting  opinions  of  the  age,  one  who  has  not 
hesitated  to  examine  very  thoroughly  every  theory 


236  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

which  has  been  propounded,  but  who  has  in  all  the- 
storms  of  skepticism  which  have  swept  over  the 
Church,  stood  loyally  and  squarely  by  the  Word  of 
God,  and  by  the  principles  of  that  glorious  faith,  of 
which  he  was  the  consecrated  defender. 

I  must  not  delay  you  longer.  There  are  other 
speakers  upon  this  programme.  May  the  teachings 
of  this  noble  minister  of  God  reach  the  hearts  of  all  I 
May  the  fires  of  piety  and  of  pure  devotion  to  God 
and  His  truth  ever  burn  brightly  upon  the  Presby- 
terian altar,  and  may  the  gracious  blessing  of  God 
the  Father,  the  Son  and  the  Holy  Ghost  rest  upon 
this  eminent  and  accomplished  minister  of  the  Word 
and  upon  his  devoted  and  loving  wife ! 

MR.  D.  M.  GRAHAM  : 

We  have  with  us  to-night  one  of  the  descendants 
of  that  Scotch-Irish  race,  whose  name  indicates  his 
bii'th  and  descent.  We  shall  be  glad  indeed  to  hear 
from  R,ev.  McClean  to-night.  I  see  him  sitting  in 
the  audience  before  me. 

REV.  R.  F.  McCLEAN: 

After  sitting  here  for  almost  two  hours,  I  shall 
add  but  few  words  to  the  many  eulogies  and  con- 


conCtRatulation.s.  237 

gratulations  that  you  have  ah^eady  hoard,  ainl  noth- 
ing but  the  sense  of  gratitude  and  friendship  would 
lead  me  to  thrust  myself  upon  you  now.  A-  year 
after  your  pastor  came  to  you,  I  made  his  acquaint- 
ance under  rather  trying  circumstances,  for  I  was 
to  be  subjected  at  his  hands  to  a  severe  though 
kindly  examination  in  Greek  preparatory  to  being 
received  as  a  candidate  for  the  ministry.  Ever 
since  that  time  until  n-jw  I  can  testify  to  his  kindly 
and  unfaltering  friendshi}).  In  the  early  days  he 
was  a  brother  to  us.  and  we  always  felt  that  we  had 
his  sympathy.  It  was  from  his  lips  and  on  this 
consecrated  spot  that  I  received  with  the  lamented 
Green — who  spent  his  saintly  life  in  Japan — the 
solemn  charge  at  our  ordination. 

Dr.  Norcross  was  helpful  to  us  from  our  admis- 
sion into  the  ministry,  and  I  can  corroborate  emphat- 
ically all  that  has  been  said  of  his  al)ility  and  faith- 
fulness as  a  pastor,  of  the  faithfulness  with  which 
he  has  preached  the  word  of  God  and  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ ;  for  it  has  been  my  privilege  at  two 
periods,  with  my  family,  to  be  members  of  his  con- 
gregation, and  during  the  latter  period,  extending 
about  a  year  and  a  half,  he  has  been  our  friend 
indeed.     From  this  pulpit  we  not  only  get  the  Pres- 


238  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

bvterian  doctrines  stated  in  modest  but  emphatic 
terms,  but  we  hear  the  word  of  God  in  its  fullest 
degree,  and  the  gratefulness  which  I  feel  for  him 
wells  up  from  the  depth  of  my  heart. 

The  faithfulness  of  this  pastor  can  not  be  ques- 
tioned ;  he  has  not  only  endeared  himself  to  thi,« 
congregation  but  to  the  people  of  this  community. 
Not  only  have  the  cultured  heard  him  gladly,  but 
our 'little  children  have  received  from  his  hands  the 
Word  of  God  in  its  plainest  terms.  That  is  a  subject 
of  eulogium.  The  success  of  this  long  pastorate  hai:= 
been  due  to  his  labor  and  fidelity  to  the  welfare  of 
the  Church.  We  know  that  he  has  had  the  happi- 
ness of  his  people  at  heart,  and  for  them  we  believe 
he  will  devote  his  best  eiforts  in  the  years  to  come, 
for  they  are  people  worthy  of  their  pastor.  We 
have  felt  it  a  privilege  to  have  been  a  part  of  this 
congregation,  and  we  have  received  many  tokens  of 
kindness  at  the  hands  of  our  beloved  pastor,  and 
our  hearts'  best  wish  and  earnest  prayer  is  for  a 
I'ontinuation  of  this  union  that  has  so  successfully 
lasted  for  thirty  years. 
MR.  J).  M.  GRAHAM: 

It  has  been  the  pride  of  Dr.  Norcross'  ministry  of 
thirtv  vears  that  eight  of  his  boys   have  gone  into 


CONGRATULATIONS.  239 

the  ministry  of  the  Church,  One  of  these  boys  is 
here  to-nisrht.  We  shall  he  a;lad  to  hear  from  Rev. 
<  reorge  Bucher. 

REV.  GEORGE  BUCHER  : 

It  is  a  pleasure  for  me,  Doctor,  to  add  my  congrat- 
ulations to  the  many  words  of  eulogium  of  the  gen- 
tlemen who  have  gone  before  me.  I  can  endorse 
every  word  of  congratulation  that  has  been  tendered 
here  to  our  beloved  pastor.  It  is  a  great  pleasure 
for  me  to  be  here  to-night,  and  to  bear  testimony  to 
the  wonderful  work  and  to  the  patient  kindness  of 
my  pastor  and  ray  friend.  Something  has  been 
mentioned,  I  believe,  almut  the  boys  who  have  gone 
out  from  this  church  in  the  ministry,  who  have  taken 
up  the  work  of  Jesus  Christ,  to  preach  the  glorious 
Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God  to  the  world.  I  belong  to 
that  group.  I  am  one  of  the  boys  of  this  church, 
and  I  feel  proud  that  I  can  be  here  to  represent  the 
boys  who  are  not  so  fortunate  as  I  am  in  being  pres- 
ent. My  connection  with  this  Church  only  dates 
from  the  time  I  came  to  live  in  Carlisle,  but  my  con- 
nection with  this  congregation  is  in  one  sense  far 
longer.  I  can  go  back  not  only  to  my  father,  but 
to  my  grandfather*,  who,  when  a  student  in  Dickin- 

*Dr.  Robert  G.  Young,  tor  iiianv  years  aw  Elder  in  tlie  Presby- 
terian Church  ut  Mechanicsburg,  P:i. 


240  A  THIETIETH  ANNIVEKSARY, 

son  College,  was  with  this  Church,  and  took  an  active 
part  in  its  early  history.  I  can  therefore  offer  my 
beloved  pastor  our  congratulations,  because  I  stand 
as  it  were  in  a  special  relation  to  this  Church. 

Perhaps  there  is  another  reason  that  I  have  been 
selected  by  the  boys  to  offer  our  congratulations  to 
our  pastor,  and  that  is,  all  these  boys  have  gone  out 
from  Carlisle  into  the  world  preaching  the  Gospel,  and 
enforcing  the  doctrines  that  they  were  taught  in  this 
Church.  I  have  been  compelled  to  come  two  thou- 
sand miles  to  be  here,  and  I  am  very  glad  to  be  here 
to  participate  in  these  glorious  exercises,  and  to  say 
to  our  beloved  pastor  that  it  is  my  privilege  and  my 
pleasure  to  tender  to  him  the  congratulations  of  his 
boys ;  to  tender  to  you  our  thanks,  and  to  give  you 
some  evidence  of  our  appreciation.  Therefore,  to 
you,  to  your  loving  wife,  and  to  your  family,  we  give 
our  hearty  thanks  for  the  many  kind  things  you  have 
done  in  our  behalf. 

And  now,  finally,  let  me  say,  I  feel  so  proud,  as  I 
stand  here,  that  I  received  my  interpretation  of  the 
Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ  from  Dr.  Norcross  ;  I  feel 
proud  that  I  have  been  here  to  see  our  pastor  com- 
plete his  thirty  years  of  noble  service  in  this  church, 
and  may  God   bless  him,  his   home  and  his  family, 


CONGRATULATIONS.  24 1 

and  keep  him  here  for  many  years  to  come,  in  ordcu- 
that  he  may  continue  in  his  noble  work  as  a  minis- 
ter of  Jesus  Christ,  ami  a  faithful  pastor  of  this  be- 
loved Clmroli. 


ME.  D.  M.  GRAHAM  : 

Our  pastor  wishes  to  say  a  word  for  himself,  and 
we  are  always  glad  to  hear  him. 

DR.  NORCROSS: 

I  shall  not  trust  myself  to  say  all  that  is  in  mv 
heart  to-night,  but  I  must  say  at  least,  I  thank  you  ! 
Words  are  very  inadequate  things  at  such  a  time  as 
this.  I  am  truly  grateful  to  you  all  I'or  helping  to 
celebrate  this  anniversary,  which  means  so  much  U> 
both  pastor  and  people. 

I  said  the  other  day  to  a  friend  that  I  had  never 
been  called  to  a  field  I  wanted.  I  have  had  three 
charges,  and  I  did  not  desire  any  of  them.  I  went 
out  to  my  first  charge,  not  that  I  wanted  it,  but  he- 
cause  the  Lord  opened  the  way  for  me  to  begin  work 
there.  I  was  called  to  a  much  smaller  church  from 
my  first  one,  and  at  a  little  more  than  half  the 
salary.  I  did  not  want  to  go,  Init  my  brethren  of 
the  Presbytery  voted  that  I  should  go,  and  so  I  went . 


242  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

I  wondered  for  a  Ions;  time  what  the  Lord  intended 
by  that  change,  but  when  I  found  my  wife  in  that 
charge,  then  I  knew.  You  do  not  know,  and  can 
never  know,  what  a  blessing  that  wife  has  been  to 
me. 

I  was  invited  to  visit  this  field,  and  twice  declined 
to  come.  When  the  invitation  came  the  third  time, 
T  thought  the  Lord  was  in  it,  and  I  came,  and  it  re- 
sulted in  my  settlement  here.  At  first  I  was  home- 
sick, and  longed  to  go  back  to  the  West,  but  I  soon 
found  that  there  was  a  great  work  to  do,  and  I  be- 
came interested  and  happy  as  the  work  opened  up 
))efore  me,  and  so  here  I  have  remained  all  these 
years. 

Some  one  has  said  that  a  long  pastorate  requires 
much  mutual  patience  between  pastor  and  people. 
Well,  the  people  have  been  very  patient  with  me, 
but  I  have  never  felt  myself  very  much  tried  with 
them.  They  have  always  been  kind  to  me ;  and  I 
am  sure  I  have  been  as  happy  here  as  I  could  have 
been  anywhere. 

As  to  the  place  where  we  shall  work,  it  seems  to 
me,  we  may  well  leave  that  to  the  will  of  the  Lord. 
Our  old  college  President  once  said  in  my  hearing, 
"  If  we  commit    our   wav  unto  the  Lord,  He  will 


CONGRATULATIONS.  248 

guide  us  as  certainly  as  though  a  pillar  of  cloiul 
went  before  us  by  day  and  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night." 
I  think  it  is  true,  and  though  he  leads  us  by  a  wav 
we  know  not,  it  proves  in  the  end  the  right  way. 
God  only  knows  how  I  love  this  church,  and  God 
only  knows  how  hard  it  would  be  for  me  to  leave  it ; 
and  yet,  I  am  sure,  if  it  were  the  Lord's  will  for  me 
to  do  so,  there  would  be  something  better  in  store 
for  me  some  where,  and  I  could  trust  Him.  I  think 
as  we  grow  older  we  find  how  faitlil'ully  He  leads, 
and  how  surely  we  can  trust  Him.  He  always 
takes  care  of  His  people,  and  if  we  put  ourselves 
into  His  kind  care  and  keeping,  we  shall  be  cared 
for. 

Once  more,  I  want  to  thank  you  all,  dear  friends, 
for  all  the  graceful  and  gracious  words  you  have 
spoken  here  during  these  anniversary  services.  I 
hope  I  shall  not  be  unduly  exalted  by  what  you  have 
said.  I  know  my  own  failures  too  well  to  be  flat- 
tered. I  know  I  am  only  a  poor  sinner  saved  hv 
grace.  I  am  not  so  foolish  as  to  believe  that  it  is 
anything  but  the  kindness  of  your  hearts,  and  your 
love  for  me  personally,  that  has  inspired  all  your 
kind  congratulations.  May  God  bless  you  all,  and 
reward  you  a  thousand-fold  for  all  your  kindness  to 
me  and  mine  ! 


L'44  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

Mr.  D.  M.  GRAHAM  : 

And  now,  I  wish  on  behalf  of  the  ladieB  of  the 
congregation — God  bless  them  ! — to  extend  a  cordial 
invitation  to  you  all,  every  one  here,  I  except  none, 
to  come  with  ns  to  the  church  parlors,  and  we  will  try 
to  make  it  pleasant  for  you.  They  have  prepared 
a  collation,  and  we  wish  to  extend  to  our  beloved 
pastor  and  his  good  wife  our  best  congratulations, 
and  I  ask  you  all  to  come  with  us  and  we  will  try 
and  make  you  glad. 


THE  RECEPTION, 


Immediately  after  the  conclusion  of  the  exercises 
in  the  church  a  most  delightful  reception  was  ten- 
dered Dr.  and  Mrs.  Norcross  in  the  church  parlors 
under  the  auspices  of  the  ladies  of  the  congregation. 
The  receiving  party  was  composed  of  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Norcross,  Eev.  Sheldon  Jackson,  D.  D.,  and  wife, 
and  the  Elders  of  the  church  and  their  wives.  It 
■seemed  as  if  the  entire  membership  of  the  church 
was  present  to  extend  to  their  beloved  pastor  and 
his  esteemed  wife  the  most  cordial  assurances  of 
their  personal  affection  and  regard.     Not  only  was 


THE   RECEPTION.  24/") 

the  church  fully  represented,  but  a  large  number  of 
the  membership  of  other  churches  in  the  community 
and  those  outside  of  any  church  connection  were 
present  to  extend  their  hearty  congratulations.  It 
was  indeed  a  most  joyous  and  happy  occasion  and 
the  warmth  and  heartiness  of  the  spirit  manifested 
by  all  showed  how  deep  and  sincere  is  the  regard 
entertained  for  Dr.  Norcross  not  only  by  his  own 
people  but  by  the  community  wherein  he  has  s<i 
long  labored.  A  splendid  collation  prepared  by  the 
ladies  was  partaken  of  and  with  cheery  social  inter- 
course the  hours  glided  all  too  swiftly  away  and 
brought  to  a  close  an  occa.sion  that  will  never  be 
forgotten  in  the  history  of  the  church. 

D.  -M.  G. 
Carlisle,  Pa.,  April  17,  1899. 


HYMN  OF  JUBILEE 


Oompased  for  the  Thirtieth  Anniversary  of 
REV.  GEORGE  NORCROSS,  D.  D. 

BY   ELIZABETH   L.   HALBERT. 

{Tune    Webb.) 

Our  hearts  are  glad  and  joyful 

As  on  this  day  we  meet, 
To  offer  loving  tribute — 

Our  pastor  dear  to  greet. 
Full  thirty  years  of  service 

Have  swiftly  passed  away, 
And  yet  our  loving  pastor 

Is  spared  to  us  to-day. 

The  growth  of  tender  childhood 

To  manhood's  riper  years. 
With  joy  for  all  our  pleasures, 

With  sympathy  for  tears. 
His  watchful  eye  has  guarded 

Each  step  along  the  way  ; 
And  we  with  loving  tribute 

Do  honor  him  to-day. 

Young  men  and  maidens  also, 

Unite  in  cheerful  strain, 
Together  with  the  aged 

Re-echo  it  again ; 


HYMN  OF  JUBILEE. — A    TRIBUTE.  247 

Friends  far  and  near  assemble 

To  celebrate  the  day, 
Which  marks  a  golden  mile-stone 

Along  the  heavenly  way. 

Thro'  sunny  days  and  cloudy, 

Dear  Pastor,  you  have  come, 
Thro'  paths  both  smooth  and  rugged, 

You  bravely  traveled  on. 
The  thirty  years  have  vanished 

Like  other  years  before  ; 
We  pray  that  God  may  spare  you 

For  many,  many  more. 


A  TRIBUTE 


TO  REV.  GEORGE  NORCROSS,  D.  D.. 

On  the  Occasion  of  His  Thirtieth  Anniversary  as 

Pastor  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church. 

BY   J.   WAKKEN    HARPER. 

As  one,  some  mountain  height  to  gain, 

Stops,  wearied  by  his  rugged  way, 
And  looks  far  out  upon  the  misty  plain, 

Whence  he  had  started  at  the  break  of  day, 

And  resting  thus,  perchance  to  break  his  fast, 
While  round  him  falls  the  mellow  set  of  sun, 

Adown  the  vale  his  wandering  eye  is  cast. 
Then  up  and  on,  ere  yet  the  day  be  done ; 

So  we  to-night  upon  life's  quiet  steep, 

While  jovous  acclimations  smite  our  ears, 

Stop  for  awhile,  our  festal  here  to  keep. 

And  backward  look  across  the  stretch  of  vears. 


248  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

Across  the  stretch  of  years,  when  thou  did'st  stand, 
Our  strong  young  leader  with  thy  brow  aglow, 

And  we,  a  remnant  now,  of  goodlier  band, 
Thou  led'st  forth  from  out  the  lono-  aaro. 

When  thou,  full  armored,  stood,  son  of  thy  Lord, 
Among  thy  people,  so  to  guard  and  bless, 

Within  thy  hand  the  Spirit's  two-edged  sword, 
Upon  thy  breast  the  plate  of  righteousness. 

And  so  we  started  forth  along  life's  road, 

Some  lig;ht  of  heart  and  some  with  bleeding:;  feet 
and  torn, 
Thy  word  to  cheer  as  heavier  grew  the  load — 
Life's  path  no  smoothness  knows  save  where  by 
duty  worn. 

If  any,  fainting,  by  the  wayside  fell. 

No  pen  shall  write,  no  tongue  shall  ever  say. 

Thou  led'st  not  thy  trusting  people  well. 
Nor  pointed  where  the  danger  pit-falls  lay. 

And  when,  with  bleeding  hearts,  we  mourned  our 
dead. 

And  lips  to  brazen  heavens  dumbly  prayed. 
So,  then,  with  ours,  thy  mingling  tears  were  shed, 

On  us  thy  quiet,  gentle  touch  was  laid. 

Vv^here  other  leaders  smoother  pathways  sought, 
On  fairer  plains  where  bloom'd  the  lust  of  pride. 

Thou    walk'dst    the    "  narrow    road "    our    fathers 
taught. 
Strong  in  their  simple  faith,  nor  turn'd  aside. 

When  lesser  minds  assail 'd  thy  Church's  faith 
And  thunders  shook  its  portals  ;  in  their  track, 

Thy  ringing  battle  cry  was  hurl'd,  "  Thus  saith 
'The  Lord  thy  God !  "  it  thundered  back. 


A    TRIBT^TH.  24") 

And  so  a1)0ve  the  tunuilt  and  the  brawl, 

Above  Dissension's  voice,  one  voice  we  heani, 
Thine  own  !  sharp  as  the  bugle's  clarion  call 
The  simple  preaching  of  the  Word. 

For  thee  no  beacon  on  some  lesser  hill, 
No  false  torch  on  the  shadow'd  meads, 

''On  !  On  !  Straight  On  !"  thy  watch-word  still, 
For  thee  no  shifting  lights  of  later  creeds. 

Beyond,  the  calm  and  quiet  mountains  lay. 

High  on  their  clear-cut  peaks  God's  altars  burned, 

Straight  as  the  eagle  flies,  thou  kep'st  thy  way, 
With  steadfast  gaze  press'd  on,  nor  turned. 

Lead  on  !•  Time  hath  not  touch'd  thy  sword 

With  tell-tale  rust,  though  furrow'd  be  thy  bi-ow  ; 

Lead  on  !  Stronu;  arm  of  the  stronsr  Lord, 

And  as  we  loved  thee  then,  we  love  thee  now. 

Beyond  and  up,  with  thee  we  turn  our  eyes. 
Beyond  lie  higher  steeps  as  yet  untrod, 

Beyon<l !  the  dawn  of  Canaan  waits  !  Our  Paradise  ! 
Beyond !  the  quiet  stars,   and    home,   and  'rod  ! 
Lead  on  !  Lead  on  ! 


Hartford,  Conn. 


CORRESPONDENCE. 


A  large  number  of  letters  full  of  regrets  and  con- 
gratulations were  received.  The  Committee  on 
Publication  regret  that  they  cannot  all  be  printed, 
but  they  have  been  compelled  to  make  a  selection. 
This  was  a  very  difficult  task,  and  as  they  look  over 
the  letters  which  remain  unpublished  they  observe 
many  they  would  gladly  have  given  to  the  public. 
These  letters  will  all  be  preserved  and  cherished  by 
the  pastor  and  his  family,  to  whom  they  are  pecu- 
liarly sweet  and  precious. 

The  first  in  the  series  is  from  Eev.  Dr.  Radclifi'e, 
Moderator  of  the  General  Assembly  in  the  U.  S.  A., 
and  the  honored  pastor  of  the  New  York  Avenue 
Church,  Washington,  D.  C. : 

Washington,  D.  C,  December  29,  1898. 

Mr.  a.  G.  Miller,  Chairman  Anniversary  Services, 
Carlisle,  Pa.  : 

My  Dear  Brother: — It  would  give  me  special 
pleasure  to  accept  the  invitation  to  the  anniversary 
services  of  the  thirty  years'  pastorate  of  my  friend 


CORRESPONDENCE.  251 

and  brother,  Rev.  George  Norcross,  T).  D.,  but  im- 
perative duties  here  will  prevent.  I  am  glad  that 
you  are  giving  public  expression  to  such  an  inter- 
esting and  significant  event.  In  these  days  of  short 
and  restless  pastorates,  it  is  a  compliment,  lioth  to 
the  pastor  and  to  the  congregation,  when  they  work 
and  live  and  love  together  for  more  than  one  gen- 
eration. Dr.  Norcross  has  stood  in  his  place  against 
many  a  solicitation,  and  no  doubt  manv  a  tempta- 
tion. He  has  built  himself  personally  into  the  life 
and  history  of  all  your  noble  region.  Long  after  his 
pastorate  has  ceased,  he  will  speak  in  the  regen- 
erated lives  and  institutions  of  your  community  with 
vivid  and  increasing  effectiveness.  I  congratulate 
you  both.  The  day  will  be  beautiful  and  bright 
with  many  a  joyous  memory  and  manv  an  inspiring 
hope.  Cordially  yours, 

Wallace  Radcliffe. 


The  following  letter  is  from  Rev.  Dr.  Wm.  Henry 
Roberts,  the  Stated  Clerk  of  the  General  Assembly 
in  the  United  States  of  America.  It  was  with  his 
personal  encouragement  that  the  "  Centennial  Me- 
morial" was  undertaken  in  1886,  and  h.^  pronounced 


252  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

that  History  the  most  "  unique  and  complete  work'' 
of  the  kind  in  the  whole  Church. 

Philadelphia,  December  22,  1898. 
Mr.  a.  G.  Miller,  Chairman. 

Dear  Sir: — Your  kind  invitation  to  attend  the 
Anniversary  services  in  connection  with  the  cele- 
bration of  the  thirty  years'  pastorate  of  the  Rev. 
George  Norcross,  D.  D.,  is  cordially  acknowledged. 
I  regret,  however,  that  other  engagements  will  pre- 
vent my  being  present  on  the  happy  occasion.  Allow 
me  to  tender  to  the  congregation  through  you, 
hearty  congratulations  upon  the  auspicious  event. 
The  Second  Presbyterian  Church  of  Carlisle,  Pa., 
has  had  in  Dr.  Norcross  a  pastor  of  high  qualifica- 
tions for  the  care  of  souls  under  the  great  Shepherd 
of  the  sheep.  A  gentleman,  a  scholar,  an  admirable 
preacher,  he  has  united  with  these  qualities  that 
friendliness  of  manner  and  that  true  sympathy 
which  gives  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  to  be  in  some 
measure,  "  a  workman  not  needing  to  be  ashamed." 
While  however,  rendering  admirable  service  in  and 
to  the  Second  Church  of  Carlisle,  Dr.  Norcross  has 
also  been  an  efficient  Presbyter,  and  in  the  wider 
lines  of  Church  work  in  Synod  and  in  General  As- 
sembly,  has   been   faithful   and  successful  in  many 


CORRESPONDENCE.  253 

things.  He  is  one  of  the  pastors  whose  intluence  is 
as  wide  as  the  Church,  and  whose  life,  under  God's 
hlesssing  has  been  instrumental  for  good  in  many 
<lirections. 

With  best  wishes  for  the  prosperity  of  the  church 
in  all  the  future,  and  for  the  further  growth  in  use- 
fulness and    influence  of  its  beloved   pastor,  I  am, 
Yours  in  Christ, 

Wm.  Henry  Roberts. 

Rev.  Dr.  Samuel  J.  Niccolls,  formerly  pastor  of 
the  Falling  Spring  Church,  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  and 
now  for  more  than  thirty  years  pastor  of  the  Second 
Presbyterian  Church,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  needs  no  in- 
troduction to  the  Church  at  large  : 

St.  Louis,  December  27,  1898. 
My  Dear  Dr.  Norcross : — I  have  received  an  in- 
vitation to  attend  the  thirtieth  anniversary  of  your 
pastorate.  I  wish  it  were  possi1)le  for  me  to  be 
present  on  that  happy  occasion.  Having  passed 
through  a  like  experience  some  years  ago,  I  can 
sympathize  with  you  in  the  joy  of  the  occasion,  and 
in  all  of  the  hopes  it  inspires.  I  rejoice  that  you 
have  been  spared  so  long  to  the  Chundi.  and  that 


254  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

you  have  stood  so  well  the  severe  test  which  a  thirty 
years'  pastorate  in  one  place  brings  to  a  minister. 
Inertia  or  obstinacy  may  keep  a  man  a  long  time  in 
a  pastorate,  but  to  remain  for  thirty  years  in  a 
place,  holding  the  affection  and  esteem  of  the  people, 
a.nd  all  the  while  to  be  growing  in  usefulness  and 
power,  furnishes  an  evidence  that  the  pastor  has  not 
l)een  negligent  in  his  duty,  and  that  God  has  been 
with  him.  You  have  not  only  grown  in  the  affec- 
tion of  your  people,  but  in  influence  and  power 
throughout  the  Church.  I  would  fain  join  with 
others  in  bringing  to  you  on  your  anniversary  my 
testimony  of  affectionate  regard.  May  the  coming 
years  of  your  service,  whether  they  be  long  or  short, 
l)c  as  bright  and  as  full  of  happiness  and  usefulness 

as  the  past. 

With  best  wishes,  I  am, 

Fraternally  yours, 

Samuel  J.  Niccolls. 

The  two  following  letters  are  from  old  classmates 
at  Princeton  Theological  Seminary.  Dr.  Wines  has 
been  at  the  head  of  State  Charities  in  Illinois  for 
many  years: 

Springfield,  III.,  December  19,  1898. 

My  Dear  Norcross : — I  am  glad  to    be    so    pleas- 


CORRESPONDENCE.  255 

aiitly  remiii(ied  of  you  once  more,  \>y  the  kind  invi- 
tation sent  me  to  attend  the  anniversary  .services  to 
he  observed  in  connection  with  the  cok^])ration  of 
your  thirty  years'  pastorate  on  next  New  Year's  <hiy 
and  the  Monday  following.  I  wi-^h  very  much  that  it 
were  in  my  power  to  attend.  There  is  no  man  in 
the  class  to  which  we  both  belonged  in  the  theolog- 
ical seminary  at  Princeton,  whom  I  rememlier  with 
more  respect  or  affection,  although  circumstances 
have  prevented  our  meeting  during  all  these  years. 
I  hope  that  you  may  live  to  serve  your  present 
charge  twenty  years  more,  and  then  to  celebrate 
your  golden  wedding  as  [)astor.     I  am. 

Sincerely  and  cordially  your  friend  and  brother, 

Fred.  H.  Wines. 

Blairstown,  N.  J.,  Decemher  2G,  18*)8. 
Dear  Bro.  Norcross : — I  was  much  pleased  to  be 
invited  to  participate  in  the  festivities  and  congrat- 
ulations connected  with  vour  thirtieth  anniver- 
sary. We  have  seen  each  other  so  seldom,  during 
these  later  years,  that  it  was  very  pleasant  to  be 
remembered.  For  I  have  always  been  drawn  to 
you  and  count  you  one  of  my  congenial  fricmls. 
To  have  kept  a  large  congregation  togftlxn-  without 


256  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

friction  or  dissatisfaction  for  so  long  a  time  is  a  rare- 
experience,  in  these  days,  and  shows  a  rare  man.  I 
venture  to  say  that  it  were  easier  to  do  it  in  the 
Cumberland  Valley  than  in  many  other  regions : 
yet,  even  there,  it  reveals  ability,  grace  and  perse- 
verance. 

Please   accept  my  regrets   that  I  cannot  be  pres- 
ent, and  my  heartiest  wishes  tor  highest  usefulness 
in  the  remaining  and  riper  years  of  your  ministry. 
Your  sincere  friend, 

Henry  S.  Butler. 

The  three  letters  which  follow  are  all  ii'ora  Theo- 
logical Professors.  Dr.  Px^obinson  is  so  well  known 
in  this  region  as  to  need  no  introduction.  Dr. 
Beecher  has  been  a  professor  all  his  public  life.  Dr. 
Lowrie  was  one  of  the  successors  of  Dr.  Norcross  at 
Galesburg,  111.,  and  later  accepted  a  professorship 
in  the  new  Theological  Seminary  at  Omaha : 

Western  Theological  Seminary, 
x^llegheny,  Pa.,  December  22,  1898. 
Dear  Dr  Norcross : — With  my   most  sincere  re- 
grets that  I  shall  not  be  able  to   be  present  at  the 
thirtietli  anniversary  of  your  pastorate  over  the  Sec- 


CORRESPONDENCE.  257 

ond  Church  of  Carlisle,  I  wish  to  send  my  brotherly 
iind  very  hearty  congratulations  that  you  have 
reached  so  happy  and  honorable  an  occasion.  It 
speaks  very  definitely  and  very  positively  of  the  ties 
that  have  bound  you  and  the  people  of  the  Second 
Church  together,  of  the  harmony  of  spirit  and  aim 
that  has  governed  you,  of  the  will  of  God  that  has 
directed  your  ways.  What  a  tender  history  do  those 
thirty  years  contain  of  personal  and  family  and 
church  life  !  What  o'racious  dealino;s  of  God  with 
you  all,  what  touching  memories  of  commingled 
sorrows  and  joys,  of  common  burdens  borne  for 
"  the  name's  sake,"  of  new  lives  started  and  of 
saintly  lives  ended,  amid  tokens  of  coming  glory  ! 

One  cannot  but  wish  he  had  apprehended  the 
beauty  and  glory  of  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel  when 
he  began  it  a.s  when  its  holy  opportunities  are  nearly 
gone. 

I  will  not  write  you  congratulations  on  youi'  own 
fidelity,  for  the  day  is  dawning  on  me  when  I  shall 
be  so  glad  to  cast  all  that  I  have  done  at  the  Savioui-'s 
feet,  and  find  my  vision  filled  by  Him  alone. 

Yet  I  do  rejoice  in  your  pastorate  at  Carlisle.  I 
rejoice  that  your  dear  wife  has  been  permitted  to 
share  it  all  with  you. 


258  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

lyirs.  Robinson  joins  in  Christian  love  to  you  both 
and  to  your  family. 

Yours  most  sincerely, 

T.  H.  Robinson. 

Theological  Seminary, 
Auburn,  N.  Y.,  December  29,  1898. 
My  Dear  Dr.  Nnrcross : — I  appreciate  the  honor 
•of  being  invited  to  the  service  in  connection  with 
the  thirtieth  anniversary  of  your  pastorate.  It 
would  give  me  pleasure  if  I  could  attend.  As  I 
cannot,  I  send  my  warmest  greetings.  I  assure 
you,  my  dear  brother,  that  our  acquaintance,  begun 
before  your  present  pastorate  began,  has  served  to 
deepen  the  feelings  of  esteem  and  love  which  I  have 
always  cherished  for  you. 

Sincerely  yours, 

Willis  J.  Beecher. 

Theological  Seminary, 
Omaha,  December  28,  1898. 
My  Dear  Dr.  Norcross : — I  am  gratified  to  re- 
ceive the  invitation  to   attend  the  anniversary  ser- 
vices to  be  held  in  celebration  of  your  thirty  years' 
pastorate.     I  would  be  very  much  pleased  if  I  might 


CORRESPONDENCE.  259 

be  present  on  so  memorable  an  occasion,  but  as  that 
is  impossible,  I  must  be  content  with  sending  you 
my  most  hearty  congratulations  upon  a  record  so 
notable  in  these  changeful  days.  I  remember  when 
your  tenth  anniversary  came  around,  good  Mother 
Jackson  expressing  to  me  her  surprise  that  you  had 
then  been  there  so  long,  and  had  broken  what 
seemed  to  be  the  prevailing  rule  in  the  length  of 
modern  pastorates, — and  here  it  is  thirty  years ! 
That  makes  a  big  slice  out  of  a  man's  life,  if  I  may 
be  allowed  such  an  expression.  We  are  not  as 
young  as  we  once  were ;  we  are  better  off,  not 
worse,  isn't  it  so  ? 

Grow  old  alon^  with  me  ! 

The  best  is  yet  to  be, 
The  la.st  of  life,  for  which  the  first  was  made  ; 

Our  times  are  in  His  hand 

Who  saith,  "  A  whole  I  i)lanned, 
Yoi:th  shows  but  half  ;  trust  God  ;  see  all,  nor  be  afraid  !" 

But,  of  course,  no  one  can  call  you  old  yet,  and  I 
trust  you  may  have  many  more  years  of  usefulnesf^ 
and  happiness  in  the  work  of  the  ministry. 

With  best  regards,  in  which  Mrs.  Lowrie  joins, 
to  yourself  and  wife,  I  remain, 

Very  truly  your  friend, 

Matthew  B.  Lowrie. 


'260  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSAEY. 

Rev.  Henry  Niles,  D.  D.,  has  been  the  honored 
pastor  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  York,  Pa., 
since  1865.  He  is  a  man  greatly  beloved  by  all  who 
know  him.     His  £i;ood  wishes  follow  : 

York,  Pa.,  December  29,  1898. 
Dear  Bro.  Norcross: — Across  the  intervening  distance 
I  extend  you  my  hearty  felicitations  on  this  your 
thirtieth  anniversary.  However  hard  to  realize  the 
fact,  you  and  I  are  reckoned  among  the  "  fathers" 
- — I  trust  not  fossils  ! — of  the  ministry  in  this  part  of 
the  country,  and  on  that  account,  perhaps,  I  have 
special  right  to  salute  you. 

You  have  been  richly  blest  at  Carlisle.  With 
the  manifested  favor  of  the  Great  Head  of  the  Church, 
and  the  confidence  and  loving  co-operation  of  an  in- 
telligent, earnest-hearted  and  affectionate  people, 
yours  has  been  a  very  successful  pastorate. 

I  should  love  to  join  with  the  multitude  who,  on 
Monday,  will  greet  you  and  yours  in  person ;  but 
circumstances  seem  to  forbid  the  hope  of  doing  so, 
and  I  must  be  content  with  saying  again — Congrat- 
ulations and  all  good  wishes  ! 

Yours  fraternally, 

H.  E.  NiLES. 


CORRESPONDENCE.  261 

The  following  letter  is  from  Rev.  Dr.  Dixon,  As- 
sistant Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Home  Missions, 
New  York  city  : 

^  156  Fifth  Avenue,  New  York, 

December  22,  1898. 

My  Dtar  Dr.  Norcross  : — First  of  all  permit  m* 
to  offer  my  heartiest  congratulations  upon  your 
thirty  years'  pastorate  in  the  2nd  Church  of  Car- 
lisle. I  am  sure  that  as  the  years  of  time  and 
the  ages  of  eternity  roll  on  you  will  be  more  an<] 
more  convinced  that  there  was  a  nobility  and  a 
blessedness  in  thirty  years'  pastorate  at  Carlisle, 
which  will  fill  your  heart  with  an  abiding  thankful- 
ness. May  the  coming  days  and  years  bring  you 
increased  favor  with  God  and  W'ith  His  people. 

I  am  much  pleased  with  the  appeal  which  you 
have  sent  out  to  the  pastors  and  sessions  of  the 
Presbytery.  I  am  sure  that  it  will  bring  forth  fruit 
and  I  trust  to  such  an  extent  as  will  fill  up  the 
measure  of  our  expectation  with  regard  to  your 
Presbytery, 

With  kindest  regards  and  sincere  respect, 
I  am,  Fraternally  Yours, 

John  Dixon. 


262  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

The  following  responses  are  from  two  beloved  pas- 
tors in  the  Synod  of  Pennsylvania  : 

Pittsburg,  Pa.,  December  28,  1898. 
My  Dear  Dr.  Norcross: — I  have  received  the  kin^i 
invitation  from  the  committee  having  in  charge  the 
anniversary  services  celebrating  the  thirty  years  of 
your  pastorate.  It  would  give  me  great  pleasure  to 
be  present  if  it  were  possible,  and  I  think  that  so 
long  a  term  of  distinguished  service  is  worthy  of 
celebration.  I  send  you  my  heartiest  congratula- 
tions, and  desire  to  express'my  good  wishes  for  your 
continued  usefulness,  and  the  blessing  of  GTod  upon 
you  and  your  Church. 

Yours  sincerely, 
William  L.  McEwan, 
Pastor  Third  Church,  Pittsburg. 

The  Manse,  First  Presbyterian  Church, 
Mount  Carmel,  Pa.  December  19,  1898. 
Mr.  a.  G.  Miller,  Chairman : 

Dear  Sir : — Please  accept  for  the  congregation, 
and  convey  to  Bro.  Norcross,  my  regret  that  the 
way  does  not  seem  clear  for  me  to  attend  your  ser- 
vices of  January  1st  and  2nd.     I  should  be  glad  by 


COERESPONDENCE.  263 

my  presence  to  add  my  congratulations  to  both  Pas- 
tor and  people  upon  the  testimony  that  a  thirty  years' 
pastorate  has  given  to  the  world  of  their  faithfulness 
to  each  other  and  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  May  the 
Lord  continue  to  bless  his  servant  and  people  with 
peace,  to  multiply  their  seed  sown,  and  to  increase 
the  fruits  of  their  righteousness.  My  family  join 
in  congratulations  and  good  wishes. 

Yours  truly, 

Stuart  Mitchell, 

Dr.  Jeffers  is  always  able  to  speak  for  himself. 
We  only  regret  that  we  could  not  have  had  his  fun 
and  wit  at  the  anniversary  services.  His  letter  will 
be  appreciated  by  all : 

York,  Pa.,  January  2,  1899. 
A.  G.  Miller,  Esq.,  Carlisle,  Pa.  : 

J/y  Dear  Mr.  MiUer : — I  thank  you  and  your 
congregation  for  the  invitation  to  the  anniversary 
services  of  your  esteemed  pastor.  Dr.  Norcross.  If 
it  had  been  possible,  I  should  have  been  there  yes- 
terday, or  would  go  to-day,  to  give  my  personal 
congratulations  to  my  friend  and  class-mate  on  his 
successful  completion  of  a  thirty  years'  pastorate. 


264  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

Such  things  are  rare  enough  to  be  celebrated  when 
they  occur,  and  good  enough  to  deserve  all  the  con- 
gratulations that  friends  of  pastor  and  people  can 
give.  Both  parties  to  a  thirty  years'  co-partnership 
deserve  credit.  It  bespeaks,  excellence,  patience 
and  piety  in  both  people  and  pastor  when  they  work 
together  in  harmony  for  a  score  and  a  half  of  years. 
So  I  should  like  to  congratulate  pew  and  pulpit  on 
this  happy  tinniversary.  I'm  sorry  I  cannot  be 
there  to  compare  the  veteran  Presbyter  with  his 
student  self  of  thirty-five  years  ago.  He  is  not  so 
sprightly  as  he  was  when  I  knew  him  in  Princeton, 
but  how  much  handsomer  he  is — due,  no  doubt,  to 
long  association  with  fine-looking  people  in  his  home 
and  parish.  Then  I  should  enjoy  telling  how  he 
startled  Dr.  Green  with  his  grasp  of  Hebrew,  and 
how,  in  reciting  to  Dr.  Moffat,  the  Professor  of 
Church  History,  he  had  difficulty  in  restraining  him- 
self from  telling  more  than  had  been  given  in  the 
lecture — the  historical  genius  even  then  giving 
promise  of  the  valuable  contribution  he  has  since 
made  to  the  history  of  his  denomination.  It  would 
be  interesting  also  to  recall  his  perfect  familiarity 
with  the  whole  subject  of  Pastoral  Theology — due, 
evidently,  to  the  predestined  fact  that  the  pupil  was 


CORRESPONDENCE,  265 

to  exercise  his  gifts  in  the  same  town  where  the 
Professor,  Dr.  McGill,  had  delivered  his  Addisonian 
sentences  in  the  little  Seceder  church,  that  has  since 
seceded  to  something  else.  Many  other  reminis- 
<^ences  come  to  me  when  I  recall  the  earl_y  days,  but 
I  cannot  be  there  to  tell  them,  and  this  hasty  note 
must  convey  all  my  good  wishes  and  greetings.  But 
I  cannot  close  without  putting  my  whole  heart  into 
a  hope  and  a  prayer  that  the  good  work  done  in 
Carlisle  by  my  good  brother  may  continue  while  life 
and  streno;th  are  his ;  and  that  not  one  of  hi.^  faith- 
ful  words  mav  fall  unblest  or  unfruitful. 
Very  cordially, 

E.  T.  Jeffers. 

Eev.  Robert  Mackenzie,  D.  D.,  has  for  many 
years  held  the  most  important  post  of  our  denomi- 
nation in  San  Francisco.  He  has  declined  repeated 
invitations  to  city  churches  in  the  East: 

First  Presbyterian  Church, 
San  Francisco,  Cal.,  December  29,  1898. 
Dr.  Norcross  : 

Dear  Brother: — Permit  me  to  add  my  echo  to 
the  congratulations  that  sound  about  you  these  New 
Year   days.     Long   pastorates   are  so  rare  in  these 


266  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

days,  unhappily,  that  we  who  follow  in  the  path  you 
have  made  are  fain  to  salute  you. 

You  are  the  richest  man  in  Pennsylvania.  The 
accumulations  of  friendships  you  have  laid  up  in  these 
thirty  years  are  with  you  and  waiting  you.  Neither 
moth  nor  rust  can  corrode  the-m.  The  Cumberland 
Valley  is  parent  of  a  goodly  host  who  have  wan- 
dered far,  even  to  these  distant  shores,  but  the  dye 
of  its  principles  defies  the  washing  of  years  and  dis- 
tance and  alien  circumstances.  It  is  much  to  have 
added  your  quota  to  a  generation  of  such  stalwart 
men  and  sensible  women. 

I  wish  you  a  happy  New  Year  and  many  of  them 
with  a  people  who  love  you. 

Fraternally, 

EoBT.  Mackenzie. 

The  strong  personal  attachment  of  Dr.  Keigart  for 
the  pastor  and  people  of  the  Second  Church  must  be 
his  apology  for  the  warm  commendations  expressed 
in  the  following  letter : 

Salisbury,  Md.,  December  27,  1898. 
A.  G.  Miller,  Esq.,  Chairman  : 

My  Dear  Sir  : — It  is  a  sore  disappointment  to  me 
that,  owing  to  my  pastoral  duties,  I  shall  be  unable 


CORRESPONDENCE.  267 

to  accept  your  kind  invitation  to  help  to  celebrate 
the  thirtieth  anniversary  of  Dr.  Norcross'  settlement 
in  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church  of  Carlisle. 
Having  been  for  over  a  score  of  years  one  of  the 
Doctor's  nearest  neighbors — in  the  ministry — and 
for  thirty  years  one  of  his  best  friends,  I  shou!d  like 
to  tell  "  what  I  know  about  the  pastor  and  people 
of  the  Second  Church  of  Carlisle."  Everybody  who 
knows  anything  about  the  people  of  the  Second 
Church  knows — as  I  do — that  they  are  not,  like  the 
Galatians  of  old,  fickle-minded,  easily  turned  aside 
from  the  faith,  nor  like  the  Athenians,  keen  in  the 
pursuit  of  "  new  things,"  nor  like  the  people  of 
v\diom  Paul  warns  Timothy,  "  who  will  not  endure 
sound  doctrine,  but  having  itching  ears  heap  to 
themselves  teachers  after  their  own  lusts,"  but 
rather  like  the  Christians  of  the  Apostolic  Church 
who  "  continued  steadfastly  in  the  Apostles  teach- 
ing," putting  in  practice  and  illustrating  the  precept 
of  Paul  to  the  Corinthians  :  "  Be  ye  stedfast,  un- 
movable,  always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the 
Lord."  Like  the  phalanx  invented  by  Philip  of 
Macedon,  which  no  enemy  could  penetrate,  the 
Second  Church  of  Carlisle  has  presented  an  unbroken 
front  to  the  assaults  of  the  rationalism  and  ritualism 


268  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVEESARY. 

of  the  limes.  In  these  restless,  changeful  days,  u 
thirty  years'  pastorate  is  a  remarkable  thing,  and  is 
a  strong  testimony  to  the  stable  character  of  the 
people,  and  their  attachment  to  the  truth — for  if  the 
truth  had  not  been  faithfully  preached  to  the  people, 
this  pastoral  relation- would  have  been  dissolved  long 
ago.  It  is  not  because  sensational  topics  have 
been  introduced  into  the  pulpit,  or  sensational  meth- 
ods adopted  in  Church  worship  or  work,  that  Dr. 
Norcross  has  held  his  pulpit  so  long,  but  because  he 
has  preached  the  truth — the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus 
— and  his  people  have  appreciated  that  truth. 

The  people  of  the  Second  Church  of  Carlisle  have 
been  well  trained  and  well  fed.  "  Strong  meat"  has 
been  given  them,  and  they  have  been  able  to  digest 
it.  Few  congregations  are  the  equals  of  the  Second 
Church  in  intelligence  and  education,  and  no  pulpit 
has  excelled  in  scholarship.  The  people  of  the 
Second  Church  did  a  wise  thing  in  putting  a  pastor's 
library  in  the  Manse,  and  then  putting  a  student  and 
scholar  in  the  study.  And  this  student  has  put  his 
books  into  his  head,  and  his  head  into  his  sermons, 
and  his  sermons  into  the  hearts  of  his  people,  and 
this  explains  the  stability  and  durability  of  this  pas- 
torate.    It  is  the  minister  who  studies  who  holds  his 


CORRESrOXDEN(:E.  2(30 

pulpit  in  these  days  when  "  many  run  to  and  fro, 
and  knowledge  is  increased."  No  people  who  are 
"'  edified"  by  what  they  hear  from  the  pul[)it  will  Ije 
very  desirous  of  a  change.  Dr.  Norcross  has  never 
catered  to  the  prejudices  of  men.  He  has  never 
trailed  the  blue  banner  of  Presbyterianisni  in  the 
dust.  He  has  dojie  a  noble  work,  not  only  in  the 
advocacy  and  defense  of  the  doctrines  of  Calvinism, 
but  in  the  honoring  of  her  heroes  and  exponents. 
When  the  detraction  of  Calvin  and  Calvinism  is  so 
(Common  and  popular,  he  does  the  cause  of  truth  a 
noble  service  who  vindicates  the  character  of  the 
men  who  have  held  to  the  truth,  and  suffered  perse- 
oution  in  its  defense. 

Much  is  made  in  these  days  of  "evangelistic" 
work,  as  it  is  called.  Its  importance  cannot  be  over- 
estimated, unless  it  is  made  the  sole  function  of  the 
ministry.  But  it  must  not  be  forgotten,  that  the 
training  of  Christians  is  as  important  as  the  bring- 
ing of  men  into  the  Church.  A  minister  is  a  pastor 
and  teacher,  as  well  as  an  evangelist ;  anrl  it  is  be- 
cause the  pastor  of  the  Second  Church  has  taught 
his  people  that  he  has  continued  so  long  "  in  one 
stay."  4 

But  the  ministry  needed  bv  the  Church  must  not 


270  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

only  be  an  "  educated"  ministry,  but  a  spiritual- 
minded  ministry,  a  sympathetic  ministry.  Brains 
without  heart  have  little  power.  Dr.  JSTorcross  is  a 
man  of  large  heart,  as  well  as  large  head.  He  is  a 
man  of  warm  sympathies,  able  to  enter  into  the  ex- 
periences of  joy  and  sorrow  of  his  people,  and  there- 
fore he  has  been  able  to  win  their  hearts  and  to  hold 
them. 

Dr.  Norcross  is  a  most  genial  companion,  a  most 
entertaining  talker.  His  visits  to  my  home  when  I 
lived  in  the  Cumberland  Valley  (and  these  were  fr^ 
quent,  for  no  two  pastors  in  the  Presbytery,  I  sup- 
pose, exchanged  pulpits  oftener,  or  assisted  each 
other  oftener,)  were  greatly  enjoyed  by  every  mem- 
ber of  my  family  ;  and  my  visits  to  his  home  were 
always  occasions  of  great  pleasure  and  profit  to  my- 
self, whilst  there  was  no  church  in  which  I  preached 
with  more  satisfaction  than  the  Second;  and  one 
of  my  great  regrets  in  leaving  the  Cumberland  Val- 
ley was  that  it  took  me  from  the  fellowship  and 
society  of  the  pastor  and  people  of  the  Second  Pres- 
byterian Church  of  Carlisle.  The  loss  of  this  com- 
panionship I  greatly  feel. 

Singularly  suited  to  each  other  have  been  the 
pastor  and  people  of  the  Second  Church,  so  that  it 


CORRESPONDENCE.  271 

is  hard  to  tell  which  was  the  more  fortunate,  Dr. 
Norcross  in  being  called  to  so  congenial  a  field,  or 
the  Church  in  securing  so  able  and  worthy  a  pastor. 

Of  the  results  of  a  pastorate  of  thirty  years  no 
estimate  can  be  made ;  eternity  alone  will  show  its 
fruit.  The  record  is  one  of  which  any  man  may  be 
justly  proud.  The  blessings  of  the  Head  of  the 
Church  have  rested  upon  the  union  entered  into 
thirty  years  ago,  and  this  is  properly  made  a  season 
of  thanksgiving  to  God,  and  of  gratulation  by  all  the 
friends  of  this  important  Church. 

Adding  my  heartiest  congratulations  to  those  of 
the  many  who  shall  take  part  in  this  auspicious  occa- 
sion, I  would  also  join  my  most  earnest  prayers  for 
the  long  continuance  of  the  relation  so  firmly  ce- 
mented between  pastor  and  people,  eagerly  desiring 
and  hoping  that  the  pastor  of  the  Second  Church 
may  stand  many  years  to  come  in  his  lot,  doing  the 
Master's  work,  and  adding  jewels  to  His  crown. 
Yours  very  truly, 

S.  W.  Reigart. 

Rev.  James  A.  O'Connor,  the  accomplished  editor 
of  the  '^Converted  Catholic,''  is  doing  a  noble  work 
in  New  York  City  in  furnishing  a  home  and  coun- 


272  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

sel  to  priests  of  the  Ptoman  Church,  who  are  sick  of 
her  false  pretensions.  We  are  glad  to  print  his 
hearty  congratulations : 

Christ's  Mission,  New  York, 

December  31,  189-8'. 
Rev.  Geo.  Norcross,  I).  D.,  Carlisle,  Pa. : 

My  Dear  Doctor : — It  would  give  me  great  pleasure- 
to  be  able  to  accept  your  cordial  invitation  to  the 
t;elebration  of  your  thirty  years'  pastorate  in  Car- 
lisle ;  but  as  I  cannot  be  present  in  body,  believe  me, 
my  spirit,  breathing  good-will,  love,  success,  pros- 
perity, and  many  more  anniversaries,  even  to  the 
fiftieth,  will  be  with  you. 

What  good  you  have  done  !  I  know  you  will  say 
that  you  have  not  done  half  the  good  you  wished. 
But  I  believe  you  will  hear  by  and  by  the  blessed 
Master  saying,  "  Well  done,  thou  good  and  faithful 
servant!"  The  only  title  to  which  a  preacher  should 
aspire  is  to  be  "  a  good  minister  of  Jesus  Christ,'" 
and  that  should  be  his  eulogy.  I  think  it  applies  to 
you,  and  so  thinking,  I  Sity  so  without  reserve. 
With  all  my  heart  I  rejoice  with  you  and  your  peo- 
ple, and  pray  that  this  New  Year  may  be  the  best 

of  all  foi'  you  all. 

Affectionately  yours, 

James  A.  O'Connor. 


CORRESPONDENCE.  273 

Rev.  John  C.  Bliss,  D.  D.,  began  his  ministry  in 
the  Second  Presbyterian  Church.  He  is  now  the 
beloved  pastor  of  the  Washington  Heights  Church, 
New  York  city.     He  writes  : 

New  York,  December  28,  1898. 

Dear  Mr.  Miller: — Accept  my  thanks  for  your 
invitation,  on  behalf  of  the  congregation,  to  attend 
the  services  next  Sabbath,  in  celebration  of  the 
thirty  years'  pastorate  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Norcross. 

Most  gladly  would  I  be  present  and  a  participant 
on  this  occasion,  .did  not  my  duties  here  prevent. 

It  seems  scarcely  possible — indeed,  almost  dream- 
like— that  so  many  years  have  gone  since  I  bade 
adieu  to  the  Second  Church,  as  the  predecessor  of 
Dr.  Norcross.  How  many  and  how  great  are  the 
changes  which  have  occurred  in  this  period  of  time  ! 
I  suppose  that  if  I  could  look  into  the  faces  of  those 
gathered  in  the  church  next  Sabbath,  there  would 
be  but  few  familiar  to  me.  Inquiring  for  one  and 
another  whom  I  used  to  see  before  me  in  the  old 
church,  it  would  be  told  me,  "  They  are  no  more," 
and  trying  to  recognize  those  who  remain,  who  were 
then  children  and  youth,  I  should  have  a  difficult 
task  on  hand. 

There  is,  however,  this  blessed  consideration,  that 


274  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY. 

whatever  changes  have  been  wrought  during  these 
years,  there  has  been  no  change  in  the  word  of 
truth  which  has  continued  to  be  preached  to  you, 
nor  in  the  spirit  of  Christian  Hving  engendered  by 
that  ministry  of  the  unfaiUng  Gospeh 

When  I  preached  my  parting  sermon  to  you,  over 
thirty-one  years  ago,  it  was  from  precious  words, 
which  now  may  be  well  recalled — those  in  II. 
Cor.  xiii.  11 — "  Finally,  brethren,  farewell.  Be 
perfect,  be  of  good  comfort,  be  of  one  mind,  live  in 
peace ;  and  the  God  of  love  and  peace  shall  be  with 
you." 

I  rejoice  to  know  that  these  divine  injunctions 
have  been  so  fully  and  so  beautifully  carried  out 
among  you,  and  that  thus  the  presence  and  blessing 
of  God  have  been  so  manifestly  with  you. 

May  His  richest  benediction  rest  upon  pastor  and 
people  in  the  days  and  years  to  come,  and  may  the 
Second  Church  abound  more  and  more  in  the  love 
and  service  of  Him  who  loved  us  and  gave  Himself 
for  us ! 

Yours  affectionately, 

John  C.  Bliss. 


CORRESPONDENCE.  275 

The  two  following  letters  are  from  men  who  hav<^ 
<lone  good  service  both  east  and  west.  The  first  is 
a  veteran  in  years  and  a  hero  in  spirit  :  the  seeoiul 
is  a  man  of  brilliant  gifts  and  unflagging  iiidnstrv. 
He  is  pastor  now  of  the  largest  church  in  Kan-^as 
Oity,  Mo.  : 

Florence,  Arizona,  December  26,  1898. 

My  Dear  Bro.  Norcross  : — An  invitation  hasjjeen 
received  to  attend  the  anniversary  services  of  your 
thirty  years'  pastorate.  This  little  Home  Missionary 
extends  his  "Briarean  arms"  of  congratulation  nearly 
across  the  continent.  Happy  pastor  !  Blessed  peo- 
ple, who  have  enjoyed  his  precious  services  for  three 
decades  !  What  memories  cluster  around  such  an 
event !  How  many  marriage  altars  !  How  many 
funeral  sermons  performed  with  rich  and  balmy 
consolation  !  How  many  souls  won  to  Christ  !  One 
generation  passed  and  another  coming  on  the  stage  ! 
How  many  baptized  children  and  children's  chil- 
dren !  How  many  have  crossed  the  flood,  and  wait 
to  greet  those  who 

"  A  little  longer  wait, 

But  how  little  none  can  know." 

Yes,  my  dear  brother,  I  bless  God  that  He  luis 

spared  you  to  your  dear  people  so  many  years,  and 


276  A  THIRTIETH  ANNIVERSARY, 

may  He  spare  you  another,  and  if  possible  two  more 
decades,  and  you  continue  to  bless  and  be  blessed, 
God  give  thee  many  more  souls  as  a  reward  of 
faithful  toil,  and  crown  thy  labors  with  abundant 
success. 

For  all  thou  didst  for  me  in  the  dark  days  of  be- 
ginning labors  on  this  hard  field,  to  lighten  my 
labors  and  bring  light  out  of  darkness,  and  for  all 
that  thy  people  gave  may  the  Lord  reward  both  ! 

Again  I  say,  God  bless  thee  and  thy  rejoicing 
Hock  on  this  sweet  anniversary  occasion. 
Very  fraternally  thine, 

I.  T.  Whittemore. 


Philadelphia,  Pa.,  January  4,  1899. 
Dear  Dr.  Norcross : — My  hearty  congratulations 
on  your  anniversary  !  You  have  had  a  delightful 
and  successful  pastorate,  and  the  Master  has  given 
you  here  great  reward.  May  you  continue  long  in 
your  work  and  may  each  year  be  to  you  a  crown  of 
glory.  Wishing  you  for  1899  a  happy  year, 
Sincerely  and  fraternally, 

H.  G.  Mendenhall. 


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